


The Book of Aika & Eri Vol. I - Lust's Triage Tryst

by TheYuriReviewer



Series: The Book of Aika and Eri [1]
Category: Agent Aika (Anime), Aika R-16 Virgin Mission, Aika Zero, Blue Drop (Anime)
Genre: Aliens, Arguments, Clones, F/F, Gore, Lesbians, Lotsa Panty Shots, Martial Arts, Mentions of torture and rape, POV First Person, Panty Shots, Polyamory, Sex, Switching, Tranquilizer Guns, Weddings, World Domination, Wrestling, Yuri, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:22:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 23,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27379408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheYuriReviewer/pseuds/TheYuriReviewer
Summary: A fic I have wanted to do ever since I saw the OVA in completion in 2007. My favorite pairing by far, Aika and Eri has enamored me for years and I finally wish to share this long-time undertaking with you all.This fic and the two other volumes will focus on all three OVAS in chronological order, so it's best to have watched them in completion as they will follow the story heavily . The big departure is Eri, Aika, and Karen's continued romantic relationship throughout and the connection I have made with all three OVAs. Also there is heavy lore adherence, so DELMOS is introduced early on.Aika, Eri, and Karen are 18 in this first volume but the rest of their characterization is very much the same.This volume will also focus on Eri's club friends, in particular an ascended extra, Midori.This is in dedication to Aika and GrandMoff's and Shanejayell's fanfiction as they allowed me to discover the wonderful world of Yuri long ago.
Relationships: Aika Sumeragi/Eri Shinkai, Aika Sumeragi/Karen Minamino/Eri Shinkai, Eri Shinkai/Karen Minamino, Eri Shinkai/Midori, Karen Minamino/Midori, Midori/Aika Sumeragi
Series: The Book of Aika and Eri [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2000059





	1. The Beginning Of A Beautiful Relationship

AIKA  
_

'Late again.'

Well, I always count on being so anyway, it hasn’t fucked me over completely yet.  
Another all-nighter not entirely in vain. ‘Salvaging wasn’t just a hobby,’ I thought as the forty-something bitch chewed me out. I really want that license. It was exhilarating being with all Earth’s creations down in the deep blue. So much perspective we humans never fully grasp. Seeing the torrent of fish pass by my observance window, feeling the current they follow slide across the side of my vessel. Being one with the ocean. It was so sensuous to me. I felt such euphoria from Mother Ocean’s touch.

I was brought back to reality with a frustrated slap to the table in front of me. Her cleavage was always so blatant as if she couldn’t wait to pounce on whatever innocent thing was before her. Whether that was me in this case, I had no desire of knowing. They were nice tits, all things considered. 

“You will clean all the windows on the first floor as punishment.”

This I heard and I immediately contested. “The fuck?!”

“Miss Sumeragi, that kind of language will not be tolerated. Make that the first and the second floors.”

“Ugh…”  
_

I left the room, thoroughly annoyed by the harrangue she had put me through for the third time this month. It was tiring to even share my existence with these little divas, living clumsily through time. I couldn’t jive with such a meaningless existence so who really cared if I was late to the never-ending circus this institutionalization propagated day after day? If I was to have meaningful interaction, today it must be with someone I have yet to ignore.

Ahh, Speak of the Devil.

“Heeeere she comes.”

Eri.

Pacing down the hallway, like catwalk to a runway. Oh, how I loathed her haughty personage and that obedient clique that followed behind her. There was something different though. She held fliers in her hand and had a stern look on her face.

As did I. In fact, I was putting them right as she reached to take them down.  
Her velvet voice cut through the air like the sweetest knife.

“You know these are against school regulations, right?”

I was immediately irritated, as I fully expected in matters involving her. That didn’t stop the growing pounding in my chest, though. I yelled back.

“Like the likes of you would know anything about it. It’s just an ad for salvaging. It takes priority over whatever fancy party you rich girls have in mind.” 

She pushed up to me, glaring straight at my eyes, teeth gritted.

Of course, her generous bust pressed up against mine, an equally generous pair. Slightly more than generous on my side, if I do say so myself.

We stared daggers at each other for a good minute or two before we backed off. I missed the docking we had been participating in. They felt softer than cushions, almost forming around and inviting to caress mine.

She stepped back, seemingly calm now with the slightest hint of pink on her otherwise alabaster cheeks. I noticed she adjusted her pair in a way that betrayed my inner thoughts once more. She proudly announced:

“It just so happens I know much more than you think, Aika-san. You’re a C-Class Salvager, right? We just so happen to be in need of an “expert” seafarer for our debut expedition. I love salvaging as well, you know.”

Color me confused. I looked at her with a whole new expression, on of intrigue but also cautious skepticism.

“That’s right. How would YOU like to join the now official Treasure Hunting Club? You look qualified, enough. We’ll even let you pilot the new Beluga.”

“THE Shinkai “Beluga” S-Class solo pilot sub?!”

“The one and only,” she said. “Care to, “WET” your whistle?” 

I was surprised, to say the least. Her heel turn never ceased to irk me although the niggling arousal I had was increasing ever so slightly as I stared at her lithe figure. ‘What was this?’ Her uniform hugged her so tightly that it clouded my mind over. A midsomer monsoon of my dirtiest thoughts sprang forth like a torrential downpour. 

‘I’m not usually THIS horny,’ I thought.

Anyways, I couldn’t refuse a submariner mission so I said, “Fine. You’ve peaked my curiosity at least.

_

She led me to their “coveted” club room, a veritable museum of artifacts she had no doubt bought with her vast gifted fortune. To think for one second she salvaged any of this was an insult to my future profession. Then again, I suppose some of these are simply from the school itself.

The clique that followed her in was dispersed around the room. There were 7 of them. Koko, the ditz. Midori, her lieutenant. She never spoke a word but always had a thousand yard stare affixed on whoever fit Eri’s ire. Then there was Kanade and Kyoto. They seemed to be into each other more than Eri judging by the constant happy smiles they gave each other. They also held hands the entire time. Next was Aki. She was quiet like Midori but not angered. In fact, it seemed she had the least emotion. Then Sana was the least in touch. Seemed she was the daydreaming type. and finally there was the new girl, Karen. She had long blue hair and curious, fetching features. Her cleavage was on display she did not flaunt it. Her face held no discernible expression, ever blank. She was a porcelain doll, beautiful yet fragile, as if my slightest touch would turn her to a pile of dust.

I chastised myself for thinking about her in such a possessive way.

Eri led me over to the counter table, where she sat her pretty, sweet ass down and made herself comfortable.

Almost teasing, she crossed her legs as to deprive me of peaking accidentally at her bright whites. Not that I wanted to. Baka.

She began. 

“We have obtained a map to a secret government facility, underwater and off the coast of an uncharted island. This is the chance of a lifetime and we can’t afford to squander it,” she shifted in her chair, waving her arms in an exaggerated motion.

I saw the shy girl stand up. Eri stood up as well and sauntered over to the other side of the room. Karen followed suit. Eri stood behind her and unbuttoned her uniform. She let her bust bounce free, massaging her a bit while doing so. Karen showed no signs of enjoyment, while the girls seemed incredibly aroused and a bit startled. As was I, yet I felt more embarrassed for this mute girl who was being so shamelessly groped. I leaned back against the wall and said dead-panned, “So, it’s really that kind of club, huh.”

Karen was ticking me off a bit now, being so well-endowed and not even reacted at my rivals’ ministrations.  
Had Eri been doing the same to me i would have least let out a moan of approv- 

‘What am I saying? If Eri groped me, I would’ve clocked her right where she stood.’  
I blushed a bit at the thought.

Suddenly, she bounced them a bit as she explained to us, “No! Here! On her breast! The butterfly!”

She pointed to a small butterfly shaped tattoo on Karen’s left breast.

“Ahh.” I got it but, I was still staring at some girls tits.  
_

Eri had an odd sense of personal space. She projected the tattoo on a whiteboard, Karen’s chest on widescreen for all the girls to ogle. It felt so voyeuristic even if she claimed this was the “map” she spoke of.

“Embarrassed” wasn’t even the word for it. The girl in question, however did not mind in the slightest. Completely shameless, but I had to admit; she was cute as Hell. I felt my thoughts had become too perverted and redirected my attention to the screen.

“See this pattern? It’s code. We deciphered it earlier this week and found them to be exact coordinates to a remote location off the coast of Iwo Jima and we will be the first to get there! This is our big moment, GIRLS!”

I read the decoded message on the screen, 

“THE GATE WILL BE OPENED BY THE SLEEPING BUTTERFLY.”

She jumped up excitedly at that exclamation. I saw the determination in her eyes; she truly wanted this.

‘Not just a prissy princess, huh.’ 

I felt somewhat invigorated as well. And, I of course wanted her as well. But I would never utter that aloud, least not yet.

With my usual huff, I joined her expedition.


	2. The First Encounter

AIKA

_

It was at this point that I felt…overruled. I knew she was rich but…I didn’t know she one her own cruise liner. You know, now that I think about it, I should’ve pieced together that “Shinkai” was part of Shinkai Incorporated. For nine high school girls (including me), one cook, and a team of six bodyguards, this was more than excessive.

We all had our own rooms too! I ended up sharing a room with Eri (which, in truth I was hoping for) and Karen. Karen was as quiet as ever, while Eri preened in front of her vanity mirror, looking like she was readying for a hot night on the town. Her soft butt cushioned so lovingly by the stool beneath her. I salivated a bit, thinking and then shaking my head out of the gutter in disgust.

Her room was the most extravagant of all but no one really lacked in elegance. I laid on her soft bed, contemplating my next move.

We set off early in the morning. Guess Eri didn’t waste any time getting comfortable either.

She laid in the bed next to me along with Karen, which honestly made me feel a little left out yet I stayed mute on the subject.

Eri “innocently” flipped through a women’s magazine and knowing her it was some thing provocative to be sure. Karen, the stone doll, played with her hair and stayed glued to her like a puppy. I was frankly a bit pissed off.

My devil spoke to me, inside, egging me on. How I wished not to, but she persisted. A felt a little weak in my legs, feeling my kitty heat up a bit. Future thoughts rushed through my head:

‘Though I, not being the promiscuous type; would I be too forward in inciting her? Would anyone else care?And whose to say my infatuation in even genuine? I only know of her school persona. What if she’s a full on “rich bitch” in private? Would I be alright with a purely physical relationship anyway? While I’m sure she would never harm me or cause me discomfort, the "True" her scared me more than anything.’

‘Why does she have to hog her for these nights?'

I was hoping to get to know her a bit closer. Well, more than my first impressions were.

_

Eri had intrigued me ever since we first met in middle school. 15, and just leaving that year, she entered into homeroom with a snooty confidence about her and the body to match. Apparently, my school was a breeding ground for dykes cause they just squee-d at her extravagant appearance every day she came in. I was never impressed but I did feel some comfort in a girl who wasn’t just gossiped about.

Her admirers were pretty genuine, bringing her these heartfelt love letters and gifts, no matter the season and her responses were always very respectful. Yet,

She was a massive perv. And no one called her out on it. Not even the teachers.

In fact, her “accidental” side gropes and “incidental” near caresses were often met with nothing but elation. Some girls lined up for it. She’d come in looking for a particular chest she felt fancied her and once chosen that girl would be in ecstasy all day, feeling her massage constantly during gym practice and track and field.

Eventually, she had a chosen six. This chosen six, her posse, would follow her everywhere. This is where I began losing respect for her. How she had clawed her way up to student president in no time because of her connections and the butch/femme army she had assembled.

‘Course, I suppose I fit in that category now as well.’

But it was in these last few months that new ideas surfaced about her. More…risqué than before.

I felt some kinship in her shyer admirers who worshipped her from afar. Though, I never had an inkling she would pay them any interest, much less me.

There was also the rebels, the anti-clique club which tried to wrench her political power away more than anything. She never seemed interested in those responsibilities however. She’d used her new found power to get closer to girls she desired at higher grades and get more trips financed for her and her groups. Her influence was too great.

She had the aura of a harlot, a bad witch, a scandalous girl. But perhaps that was her main attraction.

For me at least.

_

My mind cleared, looking aside to the window, slightly cracked to let the early morning air flow in.

Till a certain announcement was heard.

“Eri-chan! Aika-san! A woman just came aboard!”

‘Hmm? It’s 5:30. Who could just come aboard nonchalantly at this hour?’

I rose up groggy. Eri and Karen had fallen asleep together, much to my inner chagrin.

Getting dressed quickly I headed out, yawning up a storm. We walked up to the deck to see a familiar face standing in front of us.

“Miss Risako?! What are you do-“

“Miss Sumeragi. It seems you need to be informed of the nature of this mission. I am, of course, your chaperone.”

Like I needed one. I was 18. This was nonsense and I think she knew it too. She wasn’t here

to keep us away from celebratory scotch. I felt a more sinister vibe from her. She smiled and laid down upon the decks folding chair.

“I’m sure you feel annoyed by this but rest assured you won’t even notice my presence.

Just know, my reason here is a just one. You’ll see me soon enough.”

I was gripped my a mixture of caution and drowsiness and giving into the latter I head back to bed.

_

“Dinner’s ready! All the girls are in the galley. Are you coming soon?” I yelled to Eri.

Our door had been shut earlier yet it was opened a crack now.

Another day had passed aboard the Regina with nary a problem, save for the captain’s growing concern with the cook’s interactions between the scantily clad girls aboard. They seemed to have handled it fine however, judging from the smack mark he had emblazoned upon his left cheek.

Never let a man court a muffdiver lest he wish for an early death.

I repeated my statement to her, as she was still occupied by whatever I could perceive was going on in there now. I opened it, hoping not to see the two of them intimate…

Which, I suppose was not the issue. Karen was brushing her hair this time, still with no hint of expression while Eri seemed content in her treatment.

She suddenly reacted to the creak of the door, looking over to see me. Her face softened at this sight, a feeling of relief spread across me.

“I’ll be right out,” she said with a slight lilt to her voices if she were shy all of a sudden. It was so cute. I decided to wait with her and stepped inside. She took no offense to this; I mean, it was my room too.

I strode over to my bed all the while looking at Karen’s technique and how she was noticeably careful with her strokes, taking heed in he strain she puts on her. Still, she did not speak.

I heard some footsteps coming our way. Two of the girls, Kanade and Kyoko, came by the door, quite stoic compared to their usual gleeful demeanor.

“Hello girls. We’ll be right up soon. Did you…need some-“

I saw they readied to attack and I recoiled, shocked by the action.

*BANG*

The girls had fired upon us! I looked over to see Eri had been shot, she slumped over the chair with her legs taut and panty clad pussy upwards for all to see. Karen quickly followed suit, landing on top of Eri in an unconscious heap.

I ducked down, reaching for my gun in my purse by the bedside. I could hear them approaching me, about fifteen feet separating us. One headed for Karen while the other shot at me. I jumped across the bed and fired in kind, nailing her right in the forehead.

She succumbed instantly falling onto the couch, tits first. The other had already left in the commotion and when I ran over to help Eri I saw that Karen had been taken.

‘Damn!’

I grabbed the other gun by the conked out assailant and headed out to find the others.


	3. Delta

Eri

_

I awoke slowly. I felt a young arm cradling my midsection. My breasts pressed into her backbone. 

My eyes were staring down, at the cleft of a girl’s ass. Not a bad view, of course, yet I feel I was forgetting something.

‘Oh!’ 

“Kaaareee-“ and that was the end of that. A sharp hit to my neck and I was out again. At least it was a beautiful girl carrying me.

_

Aika

_

I was close. I heard the others speaking in the lounge room. 

While it would be useful to get the drop on them, I realized they were acting against their will. 

’These girls have no control over their actions. I should just find the culprit right now.’ 

I traipsed past the entrance. I ran to the bathroom on the side of the hallway, attempting to get my bearings. 

Out of the stall, Midori walked out, surprised.

I readied to put her down yet she seemed perturbed rather than possessed.

She stared intently at me. I attempted to walk by her but she blocked me.

‘I don’t have time for this. Does she not understand the danger we’re in?’

Annoyed, I tried to force my way through but she persisted.

“Can you not see that she loves us all? You berate her constantly and then you pine after her like a lovesick puppy.  I see it in your eyes. You have it bad for her, worse than any of us.”

She was pissing me off. I was never contentious with her clique, why would they give me shit now?

‘Of all of the times she had to say this, she had to right as we were being ambushed?’ 

“Hey, I appreciate your transparency but we are kind of under attack right now! You’ve seen the girls around,  right? They’re brainwashed by some assailant! We’re the only ones left!”

She snickered at me. “Sure, you'll say anything,” she said.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps again, signaling the approach of the others. They were outside the bathroom door but seemed to know I had been talking with Midori. I heard guns cocked and readied.

I whispered, “Hey, I could use your help. Open the door and I’ll take em’ out.”

I saw her demeanor had completely changed. 

She now looked hardened, as if she had been in this situation before.

“How many bullets do you have left?”

“Four, plus one in the chamber. But they have to hit a vital area to knock em’ out immediately or else they're practically useless.”

“Hmm…I got this. Focus on whoever is left of me.”

‘Huh? What is she planning?’ I nodded. 

Midori sidled up to the wall, slowly grabbing and turning the knob. I readied my weapon, anticipating their movements.

Sana and Aki burst through immediately. *BANG, BANG, BANG!* I dodged over to the stall door, staying out of range of their pistols. 

Midori grabbed Sana from behind putting her in a chokehold. I was impressed to say the least, yet it was short lived as Aki tried to get the drop on me. 

I jumped to the side of the stall and over, aiming to sweep kick her from underneath. *CRASH* and like that, she was out for the count. Her panties stretched as she tumbled down, stuck in a most revealing position.

Sana succumbed to the skilled maneuver and slumped down gently in Midori’s arms. Midori kissed her cheek and apologized softly before setting her down with Aki. A little closer and one could assume they had been up to some rather "indecent" acts in the bathroom. I shook my head at the thought.

Looking back at her I stuttered out, “Sooo…how did you uh-“

“Aika, you’re not the only trained operative aboard this vessel. 

There’s a reason I’m Eri’s second-in-command.”

‘Trained operative?! How did she know? Was I compromised already?’

“By the look on your face, you must be unaware of the DELTA Corp. Pity, you would’ve fit right in, too.’

"Huh..." I said nothing, the memories coming back and then suppressed once more.

“Yup. We’re specially trained agents assigned to guard VIPs in secrecy. Eri Shinkai is my top priority.”

“So what’s your mission here?” I had to pry, or else I’d be stymied forever.

“That’s classified.”

Ah, I see. The tight lipped bitch.

She picked up Aki’s pistol, checking its ammunition. 

I had to keep her by my side. If she was as professional as she claimed, she’d be a valuable partner in getting Eri back.

“Ok, if we work together, we can take down this intruder. Follow my lead.”

“Uhn Uh. No, we follow MY lead. I know the layout of this ship fully while you’ve been here for three days.”

Again, I relented. “Lead the way.’

_

We walked out of the bathroom, making our way cautiously to the deck. Hallway’s were too dangerous and not knowing how many  more attackers she had employed, we took to the vent entrance at the back of the lounge. It would take us straight to the deck side, allowing us to survey the scene from cover.

Not my choice, by the by, but not an entirely stupid plan either.

She went in front of me, her panties unfettered for my eyes as we crawled through the vents. I, as any questioning girl would, had a bright red streak  on my face the entire time, which of course, she picked up on when we turned the corner.

“By the mixture of anger and embarrassment I see, you find you thought of me as attractive as well, repulsive. You know that  closed-minded thinking will only get you hurt where Eri-chan’s concerned.” She wiggled her butt at this, as if to taunt my growing, subconscious libido.

Emasculated but not defeated, I sniped back. 

“Are you sure she loves you? Eri certainly has had her eyes on that Karen girl all this time,  and she hardly speaks, much less emotes. Don’t YOU feel betrayed by her?”

“Betrayed? Pleeease. This shows how little you know of her. She has a bigger heart than you know. Her love expands to all.  If you would just recognize that, you’d be in her good graces as well.”

‘Like I want to be,’ I huffed. But in my mind, Eri's happiness was something that warmed me.

“Well, do you love her? Truly?” I had to ask.

“Of course! We all do!” She stopped and turned to me, staring straight into my eyes. Her ass was right in my face now. It felt like the cheeks would envelope me had she gone any closer.

“You think we’re just some lackeys she touts about but never stopped to think that we’re humans too. Not some cardboard cut-out Gretchen Wieners’ Wannabes.”

‘I suppose, I misjudged you then.’

“I…apologize. I feel like we got off on the wrong foot now.”

She smiled at me and turned frontwards once more. “Let’s get her back, Aika. For all of us.”

_

The vent’s exit was just up ahead. I heard no movement below so I followed her out, still on guard all the same.

She stood up, looking nonchalantly at the deck around us.

“I think I know who’s behind this anyway.”

“Care to share?” She was certainly making this complicated now. ‘And why so sudden?’

“I thought something was suspicious about her activity here.”

“Why would you say that? Who?”

At that, she held up a transmitter with an antenna attached. She handed it to me and I put it to my ear.

*K-CHK* I felt the pistol to my temple; Midori held me at gunpoint. 

“Sorry, not-sorry, Aika-san. Guess you can’t trust anyone here. Now turn around, slowly”

Trapped, I did as she asked.

“Hello, Miss Sumeragi. I see you haven’t learned your lesson yet. I’ll make sure this next punishment is a permanent one.”

Risako.


	4. Reconcile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Props to GrandMoff for the first ever Aika R-16 fic ever  
> https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5134805/1/The-treasure-after-the-treasure

Aika

-

She rappelled down from a helicopter. It had stealth rotors installed.

_‘What kind of op is this?’_

Though she had been sunbathing on the deck only a day ago, this force of hers must have just come in. They weren't my immediate concern right now.

“So, is this your brilliant plan? To double cross me at the last second?” I scoffed at how cliche it was.

“Oh? I don’t recall saying I was on your side to begin with. Don’t take this personal Aika-chan, this is just an unfortunate situation you’re stuck in,” She licked my ear at that, making me shudder.

Risako walked down the deckside, smirking. Karen was over her shoulder, out cold.

She was just below the safety line attached to the floatation buoy.

“Now, now Midori. Don’t tease her so much, poor Aika-san. You see I wanted you out of the picture but they failed. They’re not good at this you know, so you don’t have to be so hard on them. That’s why I need you to trust me. Shinkai-san and Minamino-san are both fine and you will be-”

“Ahaha! Really?! That’s rich. I ain’t hearing it from you.”

I swept under, knocking Midori over and slamming her to the floor. I grabbed her pistol from the floor and aimed quickly at Risako.

“Ugh. Why must you make this difficult? Hmmm… Girls.”

More girls started making their way down from the helicopter, melee weapons in hands. 

“Aika, you should quit while you’re ahead.”

*BANG*

The bodyguards fired upon the assailants. 

The girls began collapsing one by one. Not dead, but certainly unconscious.

“Finally, the cavalry arrives.”

“THIS WON’T STOP US!” Risako yelled.

 _‘But this will.’_ I aimed for the buoy as fired. It fell fast, landing right on her head and knocking Karen out of her arms. “Hah! Direct shot!”

She slowly got up, dizzy for sure but she didn’t try to recapture Karen.

I was going to finish her off but figured I needed to retrieve Eri and Karen. 

_‘Too much chaos now, anyway.’_

I noticed one of the girls retreating with a familiar dark red-haired girl over her shoulder.

“Ah! There you are!”

I ran after her, aiming directly for the back of her neck. 

_‘No hard feelings, K?’_

*BANG*

She fell flat and Eri predictably went down ass up, legs down, presenting her panty clad pussy to anyone who looked over. I had to help her but my cheeks wouldn’t stop.

“AIKA!”

I looked over to another girl, dressed in blue with a black skirt. The helicopter had now lowered to deck level. She had Risako in her arms and loaded her onto the helicopter.

“That was clever but don’t think you’ve seen the last of us,” she snickered as the helicopter rose with them.

“For besting us however, I will give you a parting gift. Remember the name: DELMOS.”

_ 

For now it seemed things had quieted down. We found the other girls, all knocked out in their sleeping quarters. At least they weren't involved. They also seemed to have weird devices affixed to their tailbones. 

_‘Even Midori, though I feel there’s more to her than she told me.’_

When we examined them, they fell off. There seemed to be no ill effects however. Just memory loss. 

Eri looked fine but I could tell she was distraught she couldn’t save Karen. She lay in her room alone for a bit before finally coming out and eating with us. She didn’t speak a word though and went right back to her room afterwards. No one, not even Midori, bothered to see her after they awoke either.

Karen stayed as emotionless as ever. You think the ordeal would have affected her somewhat but no, she didn’t even come to dinner.

_‘Guess she’s not hungry.’_

The lack of attention given to Eri’s obvious frail state angered me, especially regarding Karen. ‘Karen means so much to her yet Karen won’t even comfort her at this?!’ 

Maybe this is just her way of coping too. Like a defense mechanism.

“FINE THEN!”

“I’ll go see her if no one else will.”

_

I approached Eri’s room and peaked inside. It was still as extravagant as ever but she had secluded herself under the covers. 

_‘Maybe she’s sleeping,’_ I thought. _‘I shouldn’t wake her.’_

I turned but then heard a faint moan from inside.

I carefully slid open the door and closed it behind me without making a sound. I saw a small shuffle come from the blankets. 

_‘A nightmare, perhaps? Poor girl.’_

I slowly made my way to her bed, being as light as possible with my footing. As I came to the bed, I pondered what to do next. Eri was turned away from me on the other side. I saw a ruffle of the comforter occurring lower down. I was curious now. Boldly, I reached out to her left shoulder.

“Eri, I-”

“AGHHHHHHHH!!!”

I saw her jump out of the bed in an instant. She was completely naked save for the blanket she draped around her tightly. I must've startled her so hard.

“GET OUT! Don’t you know how to knock?!” She yelled angrily, though it was more in embarrassment than anger.

_‘This is my room too Eri, you know.’_

“Erri… were you in the middle of-”

“YES!!!”

A blush crossed my face, fully tinting me a bright red. The fact she didn’t even deny it, impressed me.

“I’m sorry. I’ll leave you to-”

“NO! No, wait…” she started pleading.

Her grip on the covers lessened. She looked more honest now.

_‘Eri, even now you intrigue me. Girls in your situation would be screaming bloody murder but you aren’t ashamed at all of your predicament.’_

“Stay with me, please...No one else will right now. Midori and the others won’t even talk to me right now and I’m scared. I was pleasuring myself because I wanted to get my mind off that night. Ugh...for you of all people to see me like this.”

I wanted to interject but to hear her speak so earnestly, warmed me somehow. I felt light as a feather, as if I would faint from her flute like voice. A voice so sincere at this time it barely matched the person I thought I knew. She continued.

“Aika? Will you listen to me? I know to you I may seem like a total bitch and while I admit that part of that has some truth the other reason is…”

“What? You love me?’ I answered for her. She stiffened, stunned.

“What? You thought THAT was what I was going to say?” her embarrassment turned to a smirk. Not a malicious one but one of mischief to be sure.

Now it was my turn to be embarrassed. I had once again jumped to conclusions but more than that, now I was distraught. I thought for sure she’d say:

_“Yes, how’d you guess?” she said with a starry look in her eye._

And I’d say

_“Because I feel the same.”_

And then we’d kiss.

‘THAT WAS ALL PLANNED OUT IN MY HEAD!!!’

To be honest, I had read the scenario in a manga. Two popular girls who were enemies at first, realized they loved each other and made up.

_‘I WANT THAT! I want her affection! I want her body! I want her soul! I want her to notice me when I’m not around! I want to be special! I want her love! I. WANT. HER!’_

Something in my brain snapped and Eri could tell.

_

Eri

_

She looked frozen. I wasn’t sure how to react. I said,

“Look. I appreciate that you feel that way about me. Really, I do. It’s just that...”

She perked up a bit at this.

“I love all my girls equally. But now that I’ve been with Karen for a couple months...I think I’ve found my soulmate.” I blushed profusely at this, wiggling a bit with the warmth her image brought me.

At these words, I saw her glare at me.

I decided to stop talking but I think that angered her more.

“Well, FINE THEN! If you love her so much why don’t you tell her?! She has the charisma of a brick and I haven’t heard her speak once so I’m sure you’d love a girl who doesn’t talk back! You and that party of WHORES!”

My eyes watered at that hurtful remark. I couldn’t stop them. I dropped my cover and crouched down. All I wanted to do now was ball up and cry. 

“Why? How have I hurt you so much?”

Sure we had had our occasional spats before but I’ve never heard her like this before. I didn't want others to hear but I needed to wail. To let it out the only other way I knew how.

“WAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!! WAAHHHHHHH!!!”

Suddenly, Aika was at my eye level on the floor. She wrapped her arms around me.

“I am so, so sorry. I don't know what came over me. That, that was someone else just now.”

Her bosom pressed into mine, bare against clothed. It was tender yet erotic.

I felt like she was my mother, comforting me and still a beautiful rival I had yet to really understand. I returned her embrace. Though, I hoped no one would walk in, I doubt it could ruin the moment we were having.

Her hair felt so soft, like silk on my nude skin. That feeling came back, if only for a moment. 

_‘Maybe, given time, I could love this girl as well. Maybe, even the way she wants me to.’_

We sat there for a bit and basked in our feelings laid out. And then, exhausted, we slept.

_

When I woke up, I was still on the floor, naked. It wasn’t uncomfortable but certainly not the best feeling. Aika laid half of her limbs on top of me. One draped over my chest, the other between my thighs. While I certainly didn’t mind this, my instincts threatened to kick in. I could be a lioness and pounce on her, just out of principle. 

_‘She’d be a wonderful lay.’_

“Wait,’ I whispered to myself.

I slapped my head

_‘How could I even consider that?’_

Even at her most betrayed, Aika would not stoop so low as to violate me in my vulnerable state. I had to get up to stop these urges.

Of course, when I stirred, she tensed up and made an adorable moan in her sleep. I noticed that my arm was on top of her boobs too. Any movement sliding past those may just drive me crazy. ‘Specially, if she moans again,’ I thought.

I carefully maneuvered my arm off and pushed myself up, miraculously not waking her. As I rose, I felt her feel the absence of my body caressing her. She looked peaceful at first but now she had melancholy. The face of a warrior woman. ‘How fragile it seems around me.’

I began wondering as I sat, 

_‘Is Karen really just an infatuation? I saw her sexy body in a swimsuit when we first met. Perhaps, this is just a lustful crush. It never seemed like she reciprocated. In fact, she never showed any reaction at all. Sure she talks, but very rarely. It should be just a quirk of hers but I can’t help but think it’s something...more. Then my rival comes along and confesses to me? Sure, she is attractive, actually drop dead gorgeous, but her attitude towards me has always been defiance and stubbornness. I wanted her to be more understanding of the school’s regulations and the importance of etiquette but we were always at odds with each other.’_

Yet, here I was. Sitting naked next to her, smiling at her sleeping face. I heard her moan again but this time...it was my name.

“Eriiiii…” she moaned.

It was startling, yes, but it also excited me in my current state. Then she moaned yet again.

“Bakaaaa…”

_‘Did she just call me an idiot? The nerve…’_

“Chuuuuuu…” she moaned, with a kissy face to her lips.

I was beyond help at this point. ‘Damn the consequences,’ I said.

I leaned down and hovered above her. Hesitantly, I lowered my lips onto hers. 

_‘I’m about to kiss you now. This is what you wanted, right? It’s just too bad you won’t know.’_

_‘Here I go…’_

_

Aika

_

“I knew it was that kind of club.”

I opened my eyes and saw her looking directly at me, redder than ever.

She didn’t back off for a minute. I had scared her, but there was no backing out now.

She was determined, ready, and willing.

She leaned in and I went up.

So soft her lips were plush against mine.

_‘I could stay like this forever.’_

And how utopic this was too. My latent crush, on top of me, naked, kissing me while we travel in a lush cruiseliner headed to a secret underwater base. 

Honestly, at that moment, I could literally die happy.

_

Eri

_

She and I separated all too soon. I know it was due to breathing being a “thing”, but it felt so nice I couldn’t help but be saddened. Now I knew how she felt.

I could hear voices outside the room. As it just now occurred to me not only am I still nude but I probably overloaded Aika at this point with my lewd body. Sure enough I turned to her and she looked like she was about to pop. She made no attempt to remove me though.

“ERI-CHAN!”

“AIKA-CHAN!”

“We’re docking soon! We need help getting the beach stuff out! Hello?”

I, ever cognizant of the situation now, pushed myself off Aika and ran for my suitcase. Aika, I assume, just laid on my floor, startled. I had no time to look back after her.

_

Aika

_

I was still processing the sudden absence of petit tits and a soft thigh between mine. Ever rattled with the disappointment I felt from the lack of Eri’s warmth, I stood groggy. My cheeks flushed auburn, my hair disheveled, my legs jittering with a million thoughts in my head. The hard floor, carpeted though it may be, began to wear on my muscles. I felt the soreness from our tryst…”Tryst?” Yes, I suppose it would be. She still loves Karen. But, did she just choose me, or-

“We’ve landed!”

The present situation finally dawning on me, I fixed myself up and headed out the door

_


	5. Old Developments Renewed

_

The sand was a comfort to me, not scalding nor frigid. The perfect temperature. I looked to see the tables had been set up, and umbrellas lifted. I saw Eri’s clique splashing about, giddy as can be. I saw how they clung to each other, not at all subtle in their skinship.

‘Perhaps, it really is one big happy amorous family she’s garnered.’

And really, who am I to talk? I’m just as smitten with her as the rest of them. Sighing, I looked away. I saw her, under an umbrella relaxing in a beach chair. It warmed me to see her so content. She wasn’t interested it seemed in swimming herself, but rather reading a book. 

“How quaint.”

As if fate smiled upon me, she noticed my wanting glances and beckoned me there.

“Please, sit.” She had a wonderful two piece on. The vacant spot next to her chair was towelled down and just my size. I laid next to her.

I felt it would be a bit awkward to bring up the kiss (after all, it had been a day ago when she was quite distraught so keeping that on the down low was at the time, preferable) right now, so I refrained from conversation altogether.

That was not to be, however.

_

Eri

_

_ “So you need help setting up then?” I asked. _

_ Minami-chan approached me, handing me the blanket for the table setting. The sun beat down on us and I saw the others cavorting about, bringing out a treasure chest full of “fun” instruments. _

_ “Eri-chan! So glad you’re back! How are you? You know, I mean, we’re all here for you if you need us,” she said. _

_ “I know Minami-chan. Thank you for your concern.” I replied. _

_ “It’s just...it’s just that you were in your room for a while and when Aika-sa-san came in to…”check” on you...did something happen I should know about?” _

_ “No, not specifically.” I lied. ‘Had she heard us? No, they would’ve barged in for sure. Then again, they gave me my privacy during my “sessions” by myself. It’s really why I’m still a virgin. Had any of these girls thrown themselves at me fully, I’m not sure I’d be able to help myself… _

_ Yet now, I had another girl who was literally throwing herself at me. Was I to refuse her? I-’ _

_ I shook my head, probably confusing Minami for a second. _

_ ‘ No. I don’t-at least, I don’t feel- No.  _

_ Aika is just another part of my harem. Why would Minami be daunted by that?’ _

_ Minami looked sternly at me, almost scowling.  _

_ “What did she say to you? C’mon, Eri-chan please tell me. I hate it when you lie to me,” she pressed, grabbing my hands in hers. _

_ Ok, this was annoying me now. _

_ ‘Who is she to butt into personal matters of mine?’ I curtly countered her. _

_ “Look, nothing happened and I am fine. Now, did you need help setting up this blanket, or not?” _

_ I saw the look of defiance in her eyes but she pressed no more.  _

_ ‘Good, that shut you up,’ I thought. And then, I regretted it immediately. _

_ ‘Wait, what am I thinking? Why these heinous thoughts all of sudden? I’ve never-’ _

_ *PSSSSH* _

_ Kyoto fired a water pistol at us, giggling happily and snapping me out of my stupor. Her girlfriend, Kanade came running and hid behind me playfully, sneaking up my shoulder while grasping my midsection. _

_ “Teehee, you wouldn’t dare shoot at our dear Eri-chan, Kyoto-chan, would you now?” Kanade mischievously stated. _

_ Kyoto-chan, lovely as always, looked at her, devilish and armed to the teeth with water guns galore. _

_ She took aim and I, instinctively ducked, hoping to stay as dry as I could in this silly situation. Minami tittered at this, at least confirming she was sufficiently distracted from her previous tirade. And then, the assault: _

_ *SPLASH* _

_ *SPLUSH* _

_ *SPLISH*   
*SPLAAUUUUSH* _

_ She opened fire EVERYWHERE. Everyone was soaked to the nines, in an instant.  _

_ She emptied gun after gun like fucking Riza Hawk and I hate to admit it but, _

_ It felt GREAT. _

_ I felt exhilaration in the writhing young bodies desperately laughing at the flood they were drenched by. A truly wonderful sight. _

_ *SQRT* *SQRT* _

_ Just then, she was out of ammo!  _

_ A COUP-D'ETAT! Minami, Kanade, and Sana all ganged up on her, pushing her down to the ground, Kanade landing right between her boobs. Kyoto didn’t seem to mind though. Midori and Aki were just laughing their asses off beside us. Koko was still playing in the water, ever the slow one. Hehe. _

_ “Hey, Koko! Come join us!” I yelled. She seemed to perk up and came splashing over to the shore we occupied. She jumped on to of us, glee blinding her sense again and I heard a collective “OOF!” and then berating remarks at her, while still lighthearted. _

_ Everyone was soaked but we couldn’t be happier. Kyoto leaned forward inviting Kanade to kiss her. She happily obliged. It seemed everyone had recovered from the attack three days ago. I was so elated, to see my lovers so jovial in the sight of what could have been immense trauma.  _

_I laughed along with them._

_

Aika

_

_ ‘Had I heard her right?’ _

“Aika, i love you. I enjoyed the time we had last night and your empathy touched me. However, 

I love not only you. I always have. I love you the same as I love Minami, Aki, Koko, Kyoto, Kanade, Midori, and Karen. Yet, it may take time for them to accept this. Accept you. As that may be, I-”

“No,” I said, stone faced.

She looked genuinely confused.

“I-I’m sorry, what?” 

“I said no. I’m not one of your lackeys,” I stated.   
  


She looked at me stunned. Then turned away.

“They are not my “lackeys”, ok? I wish you wouldn’t call them that.”

“Oh really? After one just confronted the other night, they seem very much like spies to me. Butting into my personal business,” I spit, the bile on my tongue not truly meaning to be so spiteful.

“W-who?” She turned back, looking curse now.

“I believe her name was Minami.”

She completed her angered expression. “Yes. I know of what you mean. I spoke with her before about the same thing.”

“Not only that but she betrayed me too. I am not to assume you put her up to this? I haven’t been confronted by any of the other floozies that follow you.”

That only enraged her more. 

“Ugh! I knew you would go back to this vile jealousy of yours! You’re incorrigible!”

Now it was my turn to be vexed. 

“JEALOUSY?! Jealous of what? Your little bimbos? And that Minami too, you giving her all the details of our little “night” together. Reeeeal mature.”

“STOP CALLING THEM THAT! AND I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING TO-”

“Just so you know, I saw all of you, running about out there. Couldn’t even wake me huh?!”

“I-I...I’m sorry, ok? I didn’t want to wake you cause...you were so peaceful. If it makes you feel any better, I loved our kiss so much,” again, I brought tears to the fragile maiden’s eyes.

My envious attack halted, I felt the fury dissipate. I had so easily been angered by something so trivial. 

She held up the book she was reading, the title flashing into my eyes, Histoire de ma vie. She wiped her tears away, only wounding my heart to see the results of my outrage.

“This, is Casanova. Jacques Casanova. was a womanizer and had it out with many a mistress. He could not bring himself to monogamy and his lust was too large for any one woman. 

I am, Casanova. I’ve known for years. Since my first infatuations in kindergarten to grade school, I’ve felt I cannot possibly be limited by society’s pre-ordained concepts of love. I love so many, I can’t love one.”

I tried to understand her point, “And why is that, Eri?”

“I can’t explain it. I just look upon these girls here and feel something for each, sexual in nature. But it’s not just that. I am their queen, they, my neighboring princesses. And our bonds are not so brittle. I do not play with the ones I care about. That includes you, Aika.”

Against my love for her, I needed to bring up a contradiction to her heartfelt splay.

“You said before, though, you felt more for Karen than the other girls.”

I didn’t want to snipe at her, it was just my emotions taking over.

“You misunderstand! That was-I-I wanted to love her too. She had been our acquaintance really. I had met her at the pool and the sight of her body excited me. I know, that sounds lecherous and shallow but it was just how I felt. I was just smitten, ok? Why are you like this? I thought we bonded last night.”

Eri looked fraught with worry and truly she had nothing to be blamed for, but it did nothing to quell my heart.

“So that’s all that was to you?” again

“I accept your confession! Why are you doing this to me?!” 

I held my ground. “Just, answer me.”

“...no. It was more.”

I smiled at her and asked, “I am sorry. I am sorry I caused you worry. I don’t mean to hurt you. C’mon, come here,” I held out my arms to her and she hesitantly moved from the chair to me.

We cuddled together on the towel and I caressed her hair softly.

“It’s ok, Eri. This is how we cope, how we connect with each other. I am really bad at this so I am learning too. So, learn with me. Find your own path with me.”

I pushed my nose into her hair, nuzzling gentle motions as I heard her soft purrs.

“Ok, Aika. Just, stay with me.”

_


	6. The Beginning of the End

Eri

_

We sat, cradling each other for a bit, unaware of the others at the moment, content to just be. Her chest and figure so right against me, and I truly questioned whether or not she’d be better equipped to protect me.

My combative knightess.

_‘Oh, I should not though. To betray the others, tis not fair to them.’_

She stirred a bit after I moved to sit up. _‘She couldn’t be asleep again, could she?’_

I shook her slightly, gently waking her.

“You fell asleep on me. AGAIN,” I teased her.

“Yeah well, it’s just cause’ you’re so damn comfy,” she replied.

I laughed softly and turned to look over to the...oddly empty horizon.

“Hmmm...the girls are gone,” I said, somewhat concerned.

“Hmm *YAWN* Ahhhh...you’re riiight,” she responded, sleepily throughout.

“Maybe they went back to the ship…”

She got up, drowsy but alert to notice something off.

“...HO! What’s that?” she cried pointing to a purple shape near the shore.

I recognized it.

“Risako,” Aika said, her anger rising by the second.

Our enemy strode out of the sea, as poised as Honey Rider and as lethal as Jane of Cobra.

She stood at full attention. 

Aika was ready to sprint straight at her.

“Aika, shouldn’t we find the others first?” I asked, concerned she’d make a rash move now.

She brushed me off, not of cold heartedness, but of the pure malice she so wholly radiated.

“Sumeragi-san, we meet again. How nice to see you in such high spirits still,” Risako spit venomously.

“Cut the chatter bitch. Where are they?” Aika spat back, her stance readying for combat.

“Whatever do you mean? And really is that any way to talk to me? Your “TEACHER”?” she retorted, her poison threatening all who heard it.

“I WON’T FUCKING ASK AGAIN! WHERE ARE THEY?!” 

I, as her companion, wanted to press her on and let her defeat this vile woman, but I felt the inherent uncertainty in the air and the growing dread that would culminate in tragedy should this continue.

“Aika, maybe we sh-“

“SHUT IT, ERI.”

I had never heard that tone from her before. Sure, we had spat after spat even now, but to hear virulence from her, that scared me. Without thinking, I curled at her reply.

“So…I’m not the ONLY one you’re so nasty to. For shame, dear. For shame,” her contentious grew more spiteful by the minute. She looked to me, eyes of a snake, grinning at her prey.

At that, Aika went for the first strike, a high kick, which was easily blocked by Risako’s elbow.

“Ohohoho…did you think it would be as simple as last time? How naïve. When it comes to close quarters, I have ALWAYS had the upper hand. But then, you knew that didn’t you dear?”

Aika struggled to push against the stone defense Risako put up until she was grabbed by the ankle.

“C’mon? Don’t tell me that’s all ya’ got! Cause, it’s not gonna be anywhere NEAR ENOUGH!!!”

**SLAM**

She swung Aika with both hands by her lower calf OVER HER HEAD, and smashed her into the sand below. Then for no reason, she kicked her to the side. I think I heard her bones crack as she cried out in agony.

“AIKA!!!” I wailed.

“Tsk, tsk,” she mused nonchalantly.

“YOOOOU FUUUCK!!!”

“Now, now. She had it coming, the little trollop. I know YOU have nary the combat experience she had, so don’t even think about it. I didn’t have any intention of hurting either of you…well, YOU at least,” she replied triumphantly.

She looked back to Aika who was now in severe pain, wheezing from the heavy blow.

“Shut up **GACK** , BITCH,”she barely spat out.

“OHOHO! Still got some fight left in you! Honestly, I’m impressed. Though…I suppose that was just a love tap to you. I wonder what it’ll feel like for your dear sweet Eri!” she turned to me, sinister as Hell now.

_

Aika

_

I saw her walk closer and closer to Eri, every step sealing a dark fate in store.

_‘Fuck! There’s got to be something around here! A rock, a crab, anything just to get her away from Eri!’_

As if my pleas were suddenly answered, I felt something in the sand, something hard.

I reached in and felt a gun-shaped object. 

_‘A water gun huh, and it was realistic looking at that.’_

Risako wouldn’t be able to tell the difference from behind, she’d think it was my personal firearm.

I slowly got up, as quietly as possible, trying desperately to maintain the element of surprise. I still ached hard from the hit, but thankfully it seemed nothing vital was hindered.

Eri noticed me but no movement to indicate my presence, allowing me to get the upper hand.

As if Eri and I were in sync, she let out a cry of fear, fully focusing Risako on her now.

“Oh Eri dear, you know I would never hurt you. After all, you are the class president and daughter of a very wealthy man indeed. Wouldn’t be a problem if word got out you went missing too?” 

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM?!”

I sprinted towards her, the sand muffling my steps.

“FREEZE CUNT!” I yelled, pressing the barrel to the back of her head. Eri cowered on the ground, splayed out, frightened.

“…,” she said nothing as she rose her arms in defeat. Then I heard her chuckle.

“I wonder, just where were you hiding that now? A lady should be more proper. Heh, AGAIN, you rely too much on your weapons.”

She turned around, facing me with that damned smirk.

“Isn’t this a disgrace to your teacher, the one who actually taught you those skills?”

“I SAID FUCKING FREEZE!!!” I was trembling, both from the pain and from the sheer daunting nature of the situation I was in. 

‘Don’t you DARE say another word.’

“Child, when will you learn? You have no chance and you know why,” she was just egging me on now.

“We agreed to NEVER speak of that.”

My defiance was met with devilish laughter, the kind only she could conjure.

She looked back at Eri.

“Oh, sweet Eri-chan. Miss Shinkai of Shinkai Incorporated. Are so innocent of the endeavors committed you TRULY have no idea what is at play here? Are you REALLY THAT IGNORANT? I find that hard to believe.”

“NOT. ANOTHER. WORD!” I so wished the gun was loaded, but I had to keep this ruse going till I could find an opening to take advantage of. She turned her head back to me.

“And you Aika, did you ever think that maybe HE orchestrated all of this? After all, the girl you so eagerly pine for is the sole daughter of one of the largest conglomerates in the world. With your detective scores in the top 100 I thought that maybe-“

“SHUUUT UUUUUUUUPP!!!” I was panting now, my combat sensibilities being fully replaced by engorging rage.

Eri looked understandably confused.

“Wha-wahat are you talking about?” she looked to me, screaming in her eyes for answers.

Answers, I could not give her.

“Ohohoohooo…HAHAHAHAHA!!! You, never told her, DIIID YOU?” her evil was immeasurable on her face.

“SUMERAGI, AIKA, THE MOTHER OF OUR SMALL GIRL UNIT, GAMMA! And to your beloved you would hide such atrocities you committed! Oh but of course, had it only been I, you would be rightly justified in shooting me dead now! But as we all know now, it is quite the hypocrisy you spin to think you are at all exempt from punishment, AS WEEELL!!!”

She paused for only a second, continuing her tirade on the now heart struck Eri.

“Aika was so proficient at martial arts and firearms training. Truly, top of her class and above all in discipline. And a great honey pot too. I wonder, just how many have you eliminated? To be young again and in my prime, ah that is a gift you so flagrantly squandered for that mirthless hobby of yours. What was it again, Salvager? C-Class, at that. Like, who the fuck would hire you anyway? And plus through all that soul seeking, you latch on to the pithiest of girl’s, a haughty rich bitch who really wanted nothing to do with you until you forced your hand. My god, it’s like a bad romance novel.”

That snapped me, right there.

“ENOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUGH!!!

“Go ahead and shoot, Sumeragi. But know, there’s NO WAY you’re coming back from this.”

I reared up, pretending to fire before rearing up and slamming the butt into her skull.

She snatched my arm immediately.

“Oh pooh, it was fake? I would have NEVER guessed. Then again, you really don’t have much figure to hide anything of value,” she gestured to her tits.

She started to twist my arm, bringing the agony full frontal. “AGHHHHHHH!!!”

“Now, now, you brought this on yourself. There’s no one else to blame for me breaking your arm… **sigh** Tsk, tsk. This was SOOOO avoidable too. You’re like a ticking time bomb. But now, it’s time to douse that fuse.”

She grasped my throat, content to see her old pupil gasping for air. 

‘ _Was this it for me? To die choking to this bitch of all things? Fuck, you couldn’t think of a more embarrassing end.’_

I looked down into her eyes as she lifted my frail body off the ground.

“Shhhh, I like to see the light g-“

**SLAM**

The grip on me ceased. Eri…TACKLED her?!

She went down HARD, smashed straight into the tide, a watery impact.

I felt my body fall; limp, as Eri’s momentum was all at once exerted. Her attack took all her might and willpower to muster this offense and I could tell she was winded from the ordeal. 

She fell into the shore’s edge, the water nipping at her withered state.

As all my instincts fired up, I rose up and ran to her aid as swiftly my beaten state could make it.

“ERI!” I shouted to her and she came to.

“N-NON-OT S-SO FAS-T, YOU FUCKING WHORE!”

I saw the ever-relentless harlot rise from the ocean, her vengeance renewed. Like a Terminator, she remained battered and bruised but seemingly unstoppable.

She started stomping towards us, completely beyond any tawdry definition of sense.

“AHAHAAHAAA…YOU’VE D-DONE IT NOW, YOU fucks…you-se-esseee AFTER I’M DONE WITH YOU, **DEATH** IS NOT A MERCY I WILL GRANT Y-“

**BANG**

Risako was struck and fell backward like a ton of bricks.

I looked over to see none other than Midori, our savior and slayer of the demonic serpent. She was donned in a wetsuit with an oxygen tank slung off by her side, her mask slid down to her neck. 

But with how magnificent she looked, it scarcely surprised me.

Eri and I both looked at each other, amazed.

“Hmm…I thought you too had that handled well enough,” Midori snidely remarked, holstering her BB pistol. It brought me such joy to see her when I had all but thought the worst had befallen them.

“Weeell, I guess I don’t mind saving the DAMSELS in distress. 

Really though Aika, you can’t fail our princess like that. That’s just…unprofessional.”

Suddenly, my elation was met with my clear suspicion, ‘ _Where did she even come from? Has she really been gone this long? How long were we out? This can’t be a coinc-‘_

Whisked from my thoughts, Midori helped us to our feet. Her flippers had been removed and now we all stood on the hot sand, though Eri was very much admiring her figure in that more than provocative wetsuit.

“Though, I must say you did quite a number on her, all things considered.”

Eri embraced her lovingly, all of her fear now dissipated in the presence of this girl. Midori accepted her snuggles eagerly, of course.

“OH, Midori-chan! I’m so glad to see you're safe! Whe-where are the others? Are they okay? What is going on? I am so CONFUSED!” seeing her like this made a pang of guilt flash by my heart, never waning in its potency.

“Honestly, I have no idea. I was just scuba diving earlier when you were talking with Aika and I heard a commotion,” she replied, all too innocent for my taste.

‘ _Ooooh, REALLY? JUST Scuba Diving, huh?’_

“Scuba Diving?” Eri questioned in her arms.

“Yeah, it’s a beautiful coast, really. I saw a lovely blue crab down there. Wanted to bring it up for the grill.”

It was too convenient. ‘ _There’s NO way she didn’t catch wind of this, was there?’_

**URRRRGGHHH**

Risako’s groan of pain showed she was very much the same woman I had come to fear.

She rolled in her restless state.

“FUCK, WILL YOU JUST STAY DOWN?!” I readied my foot for her face but Midori stopped me.

“Stop. We need her awake to question her about this right? I want to find those girls just as much as you do but we won’t get anywhere beating the perpetrator. NO MATTER HOW much you want to,” she stared deep into my cerulean eyes, as if she knew the turmoil I was trying to reconcile. She seemed genuine through and through.

But I wouldn’t let my guard down, not for Eri’s sake. EVER AGAIN.

She picked up Risako, her body still very listless despite her earlier turn over.

‘ _A 180 pound woman so easily lifted by a high schooler? Hmm…_

“Well it’s no use standing around here, as much as I enjoy admiring my body, AIKA.”

She flaunted her butt a bit, and I snorted in hushed embarrassment.

Eri just laughed.

_

We brought her back to the infirmary. Still sore from Risako’s suplex earlier, I held on onto Eri’s graciously offered shoulder. I was elated at her show of empathy. I tried nuzzling into her arm, wanting to return her affection but she only looked forward, not once looking into my eyes.

There was…a distance between us, one not so easily forgiven and even so, stark and painful.

“She’s fallen asleep. I will wake her when we find the others. For now, go back to your room,” she looked over to Eri and I, noticing the rift between us.

“You too Aika. Go now and rest. You are weary from battle, I’m sure.”

I attempted to retort, speaking up but before I could utter a single syllable.

“GO. I will tell you when to return,” she had a tone unknown to me from her. A stern, quieting façade.

“Fine,” I begrudgingly gave in, led back to by Eri without a single word more.

_

Eri

_

I was…worried now. As I walked her back, I felt the magnitude of doubts I had for her plague me.

_‘What is going on? What was Risako-sensei talking about? And why was she threatening us? She’s our chaperone. Just, what are you not telling me, Aika?’_

We reached my door and heard a rustling inside. Aika, ever cautious, abandoned my shoulder and assumed a combat stance, slowly opening the door.

‘ _Where did she learn this? Is she some sort of secret assassin? I know, that night on the boat was scary for all of us but Aika never spoke to me about what really happened. Why?’_

As she opened the door, I saw a comforting site to be sure. 

Karen.

“KAREN! YOU’RE ALRIGHT!”

I rushed to embrace her, which she accepted, stoic as always.

Aika relaxed, a smile spreading across her face. Come to think of it, this was the first time I’ve ever seen her smile when Karen was present.

_

Karen stayed muted when asked about the other’s whereabouts, unsurprisingly.

I knew this would happen but still it frustrated me. ‘ _I’m so glad she’s unharmed but how had she avoided whoever captured them?’_

So, I turned to find answers somewhere I knew they would be.

_

“You know, the way you took down Risako was pretty amazing, Eri. I never knew you had it in you,” she complimented me, gently brushing my hair while I sat by the vanity table. Karen had left us to our lonesome, maybe seeing the cues I made in wanting to confront Aika.

This was admittedly a nice departure from the trauma I had been subjected to not two hours ago. I looked out slightly to the ocean afar. Night had set in and the calm waves lapped at the side of the liner. I felt serene in the tranquility of it all.

“Eri?” she shocked my hair when she laid her hand upon my shoulder, static electricity transferring through me. I jumped a bit in my seat. But I did not respond.

“Am I…not doing a good job? I understand, really I’m not too good at this shit honestly. You’ve seen my hair the past few mornings sooooo…”

I remained quiet, feeling her half-hearted strokes wane more and more as the silence crept in.

Finally she spoke again.

“Look, I’m really sorry for the way I’ve been acting the last couple days. I’m really glad we had that talk on the beach. And look, if we could just be honest with each other, we coul-“

“OKAY, LET’S START. Tell me everything you know, NOW,” I stood up from the vanity chair, scornful in my gaze upon her. _‘Now or fucking never, Aika.’_

_

Aika

_

I didn’t understand. We twice bonded mutually, least I thought we did. Hell, I laid on top of her and watched as she cried herself to sleep. And though we hadn’t found the other girls, Midori and Karen were fine at least.

_‘What was this all of a sudden? Was she taking her anxiety out on me?’_

“I don’t know what you –“

“DON’T FUCK WITH ME NOW. WHAT WAS RISAKO SAYING?!” she raised her voice at me, another tone I was not accustomed to hear. 

It was my turn to remain silent.

“EXPLAIN. NOW. OR ELSE…we’re done. I can’t go on with you or anyone who keeps stuff like this from me. I don’t care if you think it’s for my own protection or whatever, I NEED TO KNOW, NOW,” she didn’t move an inch, completely grounded. 

I…had to tell her. But not EVERYTHING. That would be too dangerous.

“AIKA NOW. If you truly love me, you will tell me what is going on,” she softened only a bit at the tortured look I gave her.

“I…studied under her.”

“Well, yeah she’s a teacher. We all do.”

“No. Not like that. I mean…she was my mentor, my sensei in training.”

I clenched my fist at the memories I held back.

“Training? Wait, I thought you were a salvager,” she questioned, calming down now. 

“I am. And I love salvaging! And I really want it to be my profession…but that’s not all I do”

I grasped her shoulders.

“Please, you gotta believe me. Knowing this WON’T HELP YOU. Please, drop it, for your own sake.”

She confided in me, bringing her hands to my face lovingly.

“No, no you can’t,” I continued pleading with her.

She stroked my cheeks with her satin hands, “Please. I love you. _Wo ai ni._ ”

My eyes were watering uncontrollably. ‘ _How could this young girl put me in a state of such euphoria and yet still break me in two with three fucking words? …I’ll tell her.’_

I took a deep breath.

“Okay, I am –“

**ALARM**

The onboard ship siren sounded loudly, deafening all thoughts in my head.

Suddenly, there was an extreme jolt and the vessel began increasing in speed, FAST.

**CRRRRASSSSSHHHH**

I fell sideways into the wall as Eri was smashed into the table, out like a light.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!”

_

Karen

_

“Bout’ time.” The jolt had been incredibly haphazard as if they put the dumbest of the group out to pilot this damn thing, but the chair I sat in nonchalantly was unmoved.

“Dumb fuck. Guess, I better check her.”

I walked back to her room, seeing Eri passed out.

I saw Aika had been smashed against the wall, wearily standing up from her ongoing injuries. She reached for her pistol by the bedside. She saw me and ran out of the room, gun at the ready.

“KAREN! I’M GOING TO SEE WHAT’S GOING ON! WAIT FOR ME HERE!” she yelled back as she sprinted down the hall.

_‘Always rowdy that one.’_

I traipsed over to Eri, bending down to whisper in her unconscious ear, pulling out a syringe.

“Oh, Eri-sama. I know you can’t hear this but all the same, this is where your part in the story is OVER.”

I injected her gently, seeing her muscles relax completely.

“You are oh so lovely, really you are. This is my last gift to you, before you awaken. I will see you soon, MY QUEEN.”

_

As I walked back to the bridge, I saw Aika had predictably held up and disarmed Midori-san who looked quite confused at this point. 

Risako-san was up and raring to go, not that I cared.

And the Delmos cavalry had arrived on the roof. 

_‘Finally.’_

“Weeeell, I can’t say it’s been the smoothest sailing, no pun intended, but it looks like this is finally coming fruition.”

I walked up to Aika casually and grabbed Midori’s pistol from her hand, placing it right by Aika’s head.

The look on her face was priceless.

“What…the fuck, Ka-ren?” she said in disbelief.

“Midori, you can lower your hands now. She’s not going to shoot you.”

“…uhhhhhhhh…” Midori’s face was equally surprised.

Aika refused to lower her pistol. She looked at me angered now.

“I…what’s going on, Karen?!” she demanded. It was odd she hadn’t pointed at me now 

‘ _She still trusts me or is she just that jealous of Midori?’_

I pushed the barrel closer to her temple.

“I’d rather not lobotomize you, you know. At this range, even a BB could, or even worse, kill.”

I pulled out my own pistol and aimed it at Midori. “And this, is no BB.”

“WHY ARE YOU TALKING ALL OF SUDDEN?!” she was just so easily heated. It kinda turned me on, though.

“You could’ve told Eri what you were beforehand, if you just weren’t so irritatingly stubborn. Buuuut, you hesitated and now she’s never going to know. Tsk, such a shame.”

Again she screamed at me, “WHAT DID YOU DO?!”

Now she turned her gun on me.

‘ _Again, bout’ time.’_

“It’s too bad. You were such a promising candidate. I really didn’t want it to go this way,” I rattled off, as if I were placing an order at a restaurant.

She stared into my eyes, completely shocked by what she heard. I smirked.

“Whaaaat? You never thought that maybe, the one who started the mission, was the one who orchestrated it as well? 

C-mon,Aaaaika, use that head of yours. After all, you were the top of the class for recruitment. Then you had to go all mopey and join the Deep Sea Corp. My god, it’s like a pithy TV drama.”

I glanced over at her. She had just been watching the events unfold in front of her.

“Maybe you are like your old mento-No, actually, that’s an insult to you haha…”

At that, Risako glared at me. 

Then she piped up, seemingly bored of being left out of this standoff.

“Aika dear, if there’s one thing I learned it’s after all these years, you’ve become quite rusty. You were in your prime in grade school, a middle schooler of such prowess. Now look at you, so easily distracted by these little lesbian romps you go o-“

“Did I give you permission to speak, Bitch? You are expendable. Hell, that’s why I sent you out to take care of them. We were going to leave your ass behind. You are completely useless, unable to execute the simplest commands. The operation was a failure because of you, you know. And worse, got bested by a bunch of schoolgirls, really. How unreliable. I can’t have a fuckup like you working with us. 

Just…just **DIE** , already, GEEZ.”

I took my pistol and shot her in the chest.

_


	7. Hostile

Aika

_

I saw her fall, limp as a boned fish. The eyes frozen in a state of endless torment. It was so…instantaneous. 

Bodies are a hindrance in everyway. Sure, proper disposal of one would theoretically give more tactical advantages to the situation and the concept of no witnesses was a desirable one to the almost god-like professional assassin. But that was all in practice; the shit you read in textbooks documenting generations of espionage dating back to the ancient assassins of medieval times.

Once you were past all the training regiments and field exercises…ACTUALLY taking a life?

NO ONE really comes back from that.

So, I had long been accustomed to incapacitating my enemies, non-lethal ops always being my forte. The girls were often under duress, not thinking clearly, or simply controlled. While the art of war did not allow for such machinations of philosophical delineation, espionage did. It was a spies’ job to execute their orders as efficiently as possible.

A license to kill was also a license to save. To defeat an enemy while sparing them; that was honorable to me.

But…

To see such an unceremonious offing of a human, it was truly,

Horrific.

“There, Aika. She’s gone. All that unending trauma, gone in a flash. And not only that, you still remain pure. Chaste to the world of murder, the action you so loathe. Hehehe…

You got it, Ghaaaaandi? Now I’ve done you two favors today,” she said so collectively, aiming the gun back at Midori.

_

Midori

_

We stood together now in dreadful anticipation of what was to happen next. In my short 3 years as a field operative I never once saw a visage so foreboding. She oozed an ethereal presence now, far cry from the sweet innocent fake I had been used to. I had always thought she was strange, a mute with no emotion yet I chocked it up to the proclivities of youth and nature.

‘ _ It wasn’t my business,’ I’d think to myself.  _

_ ‘Eri-chan likes whoever Eri-chan likes.” _

Yet now, it was clear this person in front of me wasn’t human.

“You know, just cause I’m in such a good mood, I’ll tell you two EVERYTHING. EEEEVERYTHING YOU WANNA KNOW! YIPPEE! BUUUUUT let’s go somewhere more comfortable.”

Aika and I were on the same wavelength now; completely in sync in how frightened we were of her.

But, we wouldn’t give in so easily.

_

“SOOOOO…what do you want to know first?”

She still had us held up as she sat in a plush chair on the main deck, her crew of miniskirt henchgirls at her beck and call. They served us herbal tea, some sure to be laced with something but we drank it anyway. Better that than a bullet to the () brain.

She no longer had us held up physically, opting instead to casually place the gun by the tea tray. It was even in reach of us, as if she dared us to try and revolt. These girls would no doubt skin us alive in an instant so what was the use in even entertaining that idea? Not that I had wished bloodshed right now anyway.

We sat together, uncomfortably close, on a sofa across from her. Being hostages we had no right to complain yet I felt I could do much worse. The seat was leather with a smooth surface to it, the kind that spelled quality. 

_ ‘That’s Eri Shinai, for ya. Spared no expense.’ _

She sat so comfortably, her legs crossed in a sultry show of her true promiscuity, as if she were a widow enticing us into her web. She had ordered three of the girls over to us who, without verbal aid, began to massage our shoulders. Her maids were gentle in their ministrations, a fact I had a hard time reconciling. 

I looked slightly over to see their faces. They were just normal young girls; adults yes but no more than 25. I had a pretty cute one with a slight fleece to her décolletage. My inadvertent perversions seemed to be noticed and she smiled a bit at me. Is she…is she HITTING on me?

‘ _ I’m in for it now.’ _

“You seem to have a taken a liking to her. Hmmm… Tell us your name, sweet-pea,” Karen said in a blissful tone, still hiding an inkling of malice underneath.

“Ku-Kurumi-san, Karen-sama,” the girl stiffly replied, stopping her movements in what seemed to be utter terror. She still showed a smile, yet it was easily torn apart lest anything go wrong.

“Kurumi-chan, what a lovely name,” Karen said, her feint not entirely disingenuous but still breathing scorn in her wake.

I was in shock. 

‘ _ Just who is this woman that strikes terror into the hearts of mortals?’ _

“…WEELLL??? Don’t just stand there! Sit next to her, you dolt!” Karen exclaimed, quite uncharacteristic of the domineering persona she had constantly emanating. Kurumi sat right beside me at a speed I had not thought possible. Her fear seemed to subside just a bit at our close proximity.

‘ _ Least she’s not shaking anymore.’ _

“You see girls, my esteemed wondrous, drop-dead gorgeous guests? I am quite hospitable, if I do say so myself. You may think “OOOOH, this Kaaaaren is a monster. She kills in cold blood and injects sleeping women like a psychopath. SOOOO scary,” but really, you see the real me now. I love all my girls here, even if I can’t remember any of their names, and I’m not heartless villainous bent on world annihilation. Nononono, NO, I lookover all of you. You’re all incredibly important to me. And really, can you fault me for being cautious? I mean seeing the two operatives they sent to keep an eye on me, I had better have watched myself before I made my big move. AHHAHAHAHA!!!”

She cackled, holding up her tea in a seemingly drunken stupor though she felt no less lethal.

“…Where are our friends? Can you tell us that at least, please?” I asked as politely as I could to the murderess.

“Hmmmm…I don’t know. Risako was supposed to take care of that issue beforehand, which knowing her, it wasn’t remotely executed correctly. I CAN tell you they’re fine, in fact they’ve probably “ascended” by now,” she answered me, sipping her tea as casual as possible. She had now taken up a cradle position, dropping her legs over the arm of the chair and laying back, lazily.

_ ‘”Ascended”? The fuck does that mean?!’ _

I looked over to Aika who looked equally nervous, her massager shooting her bedroom eyes at every way ward glance she had. “That” word seemed to worry her too.

“…What do you mean, “Ascended”?” I had to ask or else I would only fear the worst.

“OOOOOH, you’ll find out soon enough. But not to worry. It’s not some silly euphemism you humans have for death, or anything dumb like that. I don’t believe in some ridiculous concept like God or a higher power, other than of course MOTHER but she’s not arrived quite yet.

No, they are all quite alive, probably more so than they have ever been here on Earth. And when they awake, oh how beautiful it will be. It gets me wet just thinking about it,” she shook a bit in her chair at that last statement, flaunting her “flawless” feminine wiles.

It just perturbed me more than anything else.

“Weeell, since you two seem to have lockjaw right now, that or the sight of me like this is so mesmerizing I shall begin. As you’ve probably guessed by now, I am not human nor am I some experiment your government concocted.

No, I am an A-LI-EN,” she jokingly fluttered her hands about at the notion.

_ ‘Man, I liked it better when she didn’t speak.’ _

“I know, I know. You’re scared, shaking in ya boots. But…reeeelax. I ain’t gonna hurt you. In fact, you are honored guests and until this operation is complete you will be treated as kind and generous as all my sisters and just you wait, this will be a glorious next couple nights for us all.”

Aika spoke up, tired of this charade.

“You shot at us three nights ago, you kidnapped our friends, and now you’re holding us hostage! Yeah, sure, real “hospitable!” Aika spat back.

“Oh c’mon. Let’s let bygones be bygones, okay? Geez, you try to get things and then everyone’s out to execute ya.”

“WHERE IS ERI?” I almost yelled, anger still evident in my tone no matter how much I tried to suppress it.

Her calm demeanor changed instantly, the look on her face deathly serious now.

She still spoke softly, but the ire I had wrought visibly irked her. I felt like she would tear me in half.

“She is FINE. YOU don’t need to know where she is right now. SHE IS VERY…special to me.”

“But how can we trust you? I mean, you tried to kill us and we have no guarantee of anything you’re saying,” Aika spoke up this time, also irritated by her constant dodging of questions.

She turned back to her “sillier” self; the seething evil subsided for now.

“Oh pooh…fine. I’ll show you. Geez, no patience for anything in your generation, huh.”

_

Wherever we were going, it was deep below deck, taking several minutes to climb down too. Though it was not too cramped, we could only travel in single file, making the trip a bit ridiculous.

_ ‘We could’ve just taken the cargo lift, ugh,’  _ I thought.

Though that was not what was really on my mind now. The vastness of the ship had never been something I had considered. When I had first seen it on our maiden voyage, it just seemed appropriate to the wealth I had seen Eri usually portray.

After all, she was the daughter of one the largest conglomerates internationally. HUAWEI and SUMITOMO were nothing compared to the power of SHINKAI Incorporated. So, I paid it no mind.

BIG MISTAKE.

Kasumi clung to my arm, as if I were the only thing that mattered to her in the world right now.

_ ‘Guess that’s what they mean by “love at first sight.”’ _

The submarine hanger was now littered with scouts dressed in diving gear priming the BELUGA for her virgin mission.

I bet Aika felt a tinge of jealousy for seeing those girls hop in before she had a chance. I mean, that was the main reason she went on this trip in the first place.

Well, that and Eri.

Karen walked so casually as if she were giving a tour of the ship I thought I knew well enough. Since she wasn’t holding us up now, she had a holster placed on her thigh, just another feature to her.

The hold was MUCH deeper than I thought as we descended deeper and deeper into the bowels of the ship.

I could only imagine where she was taking us.

_

We arrived in a large room, plush pillows lining the floor with five beds set at the far wall. To the right side there were large tanks with what frosted over windows. They looked like…cryogenic tanks, you know, the ones you see in old sci-fi movies. To the left, a single door and control panel. The softness of the floor made it difficult to walk any further so we stopped middle.

The center of the room had a device of some sort; it’s futuristic appearance far beyond anything I had ever seen.

“YA KNOW, you humans have a funny way of depicting us. Back in the 60s you liked to show us off as these weird grey men with big, bulging eyes and then in the 70s we were like this grotesque monster that stabbed people with our mouth. And nowadays we are like, I don’t even know what. AAAALL I know is that isn’t it great to know the truth? That we aren’t some hideous beasts that are coming to kill you all? We’re literally just like you!” she abruptly blurted out, appr-o-po of nothing. 

She did have a point, I had in the back of brain thought that alien life would be inherently hostile (not that she was proving that theory wrong in any way, mind you) but to be so lifelike, so HUMAN…was a bit strange to me.

“Yeah, you look no different from us really. So, what makes you different from humans anyway? Are you really an alien?” I dared to ask her, boldfaced.

She smiled contently, batting her eyes.

“Diffffferent you say…well I guess there’s this-“

**BANG**

She quickly un-holstered the gun and shot herself in the head. The shot was loud and startling, everyone in the room easily a-taken back by the surprising move, almost falling from the soft surface I stood on. But she did not flinch at all.

The bullet passed right through her, ending up embedded in an instant on the other side of the room. But she had no wound at all. The bullet didn’t even register in her mind.

“You see, you humans are quite fragile. Much more fragile than I ever thought a species could be usually. Now granted, mammal wise and intelligence wise you’re KIIINDA, sorta up there but really, the thought of death terrifies you beyond any capacity for rational thought. And you think about it, EEEEVERYDAY LIKE, what the HELL? Who’s got time for that? I’ve lived for over 300 years. Now I get it, you got a fraction maybe of the lifetime ahead of you, but really, once you live as long as I do you start disregarding things entirely.”

She turned to us, the gun holstered again.

“Now I know you two were going to form a coup and try and shoot me back, for whatever reason. I mean, I killed your abusive mentor. Doesn’t that count for somethin’? Anyways, now you won’t get any funny ideas like that. I’d much rather you…weeeell…”

She turned a dial of the front of the device; the entire room shaking as it slowly went down.

“WH-WHAT’S HAPPENING?!” Aika yelled, the girls behind her holding her arms and stomach gently from behind, trying to soothe her.

“I SAID REEEEEELAAAX. You’re all safe. THIS, this right here is the REAL BELUGA.” 

The room shook violently as it made the transition from the ship to the watery depths.

A giant window appeared from the floor, the slats of the surface unfolding to reveal the sea below.

The schools of fish swam under, looking up to us as we went further along. I saw the coral reefs below, a wonderland of beauty just below the surface. There were even small sharks swimming about. The pillows obscured some of it but really, the sight was beyond belief.

“Now isn’t this lovely? This is what I call “travelling in style”. Her dad really does have the best resources in the world, doesn’t he? And how generous for him to fund this entire operation too. Too bad I have to betray him.”

“What are you, some kinda…James…huuuh…Bond villain…eeeeyiiii?” Aika panted out, still sort of resisting the women behind her. She had been pushed down by the small quake of the undocking, a cushion fitting just right underneath her, while two girls massaged and caressed her tummy, arms, and legs. It looked so sensuous and I felt Kurumi pull me down a bit, trying to coax me to do the same.

“JAMES BOND? AHAHAHAHA!! You’re a hoot, you know that? Ah…Blofeld’s got nothing on me, babe. And my volcano lair is MUUUUCH more impressive,” she said cackling.

_ ‘God, she makes the worst jokes too. WE need to focus now, for the girls and for Eri’s sake. We can’t lulled into this…orgy about to happen.’ _

At that, Karen had knelt down, gun placed aside holstered with the safety on now, trying to find as comfortable a position as possible to join in. The thought was admittedly enticing as my libido had been steadily increasing since we sat down with her at the main deck.

_ ‘I knew we shouldn’t have drank that tea. NO, I need to-, this is not what WE came here to-‘ _

Karen crawled up to me and kissed my thoughts away. She was forceful yet velvet in her lip’s touch. 

I couldn’t say no now. I tried looking over to Aika, my eyes closing slowly in Karen’s amorous scent.

_ ‘Aika, you gotta help m-‘ _

She was gone too, the girls now ravaging her completely, eating her alive. And worst of all, she looked like she was enjoying every second of it.

Kasumi lay down beside me and Karen finished with my mouth, silently asking her to partake in my now docile lips.

Her tongue wasn’t silent in how happy it was seconds later. And neither…was mine, now.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be straight up smut.  
> But, it's not necessary to the plot overall.
> 
> I decided to base Karen on Harley Quinn cause I thought the OVAs did too little with her. I will do WAAAY more.


	8. Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pure lesbian sex.

Aika

_

They took me and slid me upside down, my tits out and pussy quivering under my panties. I felt their hands caress my ass softly, one of them moving from my legs and arms to my inner thighs. My head was laid on the heavenly cushions and I watched them, anticipating the work they were about to do. Their sweet touches felt so nice…

I looked over to Midori who was put in the same position, a modified mating press framed for her cameltoe. Kurumi salivated over her cunt, absolutely enthralled by the pheromones. 

“aiiiYYYYAA!” she yelled as Karen poked her panty covered clit from the side.

I looked up to the girls now pleasuring me. They pushed my panties aside and dipped their tongues inside. Oh, how their velvet lips loved me.

I started writhing a bit, the emotions going through my libido and eclipsing them. Oh, it felt sooooo RIGHT. 

As I moved a bit, partially trying to crane their tongues deeper into me, my skirt fell and blocked my view of their ministrations.  _ ‘Oh, oooooh c’mon…’ _

Thankfully they noticed and moved it aside, my eyes meeting theirs once more as they doubled their efforts to bring me to a sultry climax. Now one of them had come over behind me, pressing her pussy to my face as her partner had her way with my flower. I was more than happy to reciprocate now.

“You wanna return the favor?” she asked. _ ‘Of course, babe.’ _

I extended my tongue, feeling her commando state drip a bit of quim onto my nose, sliding down to my cheeks. She was excited and I felt obligated to meet her halfway. She still had her skirt on, its frame a greenhouse around my head. I got a bit sweaty as I kept licking away but her smell felt intoxicatingly saccharine.

I had no experience but I was no stranger to the idea. Virtual didn’t hold a goddamn candle to her riding my face for real. I even felt her tits push into my groin, their bouncing against my lower tummy. 

My cunning linguist had written an entire novel into my lips now, my level about to burst just for her. Those soft tits of the girl above me now bouncing against my pussy on top, and I was ready to feed my loving concubine diligently eating me out.

Oooooooh that was it, they combined their efforts once more. She wiggled her ass on top of me, pushing her pussy harder into my lips, my wet doing her best to oblige her G spot. The, both tongues dipped in again, her hands reaching down to grope my tits. I had no choice but to cum now.

“AAAAAAAAIIIIYYYYIII!!!” I started spraying , her mouth now latched to me, still continuing her licks all throughout, never slowing. She drank it all, obviously loving how it slid in so easily in her throat. Though, I felt like a firehose right now.

The girl on top still needed a little more coaxing so I nuzzled up closer to her slit, letting my licks grow longer, sliding up and down her clit. I really wanted her to have the feelings I did, all inhibitions far gone now. 

She shivered a bit and then a couple strokes later I felt her depress onto me, her tits’ weight pushed fully onto my pussy as she kissed my upper lips deeply. But she wanted her cum to be accepted as well and when I finished french kissing her kitty, she let it all go inside my waiting mouth.

I’ll admit, it was hard to take all of her in at once, but she helped me, only dripping a little at a time. She was very in control of her release but it was clear she just wanted me to drink her silly. So I dived in and she lost it, pouring her waterfall into my mouth.

She finished a couple minutes later, some of it had stained my face and hair but it felt so nice. The other who had lovingly drank my release had still had her mouth latched on my sweet pussy, giving soft, caring licks to me, keeping me wet the entire time. She seemed a bit sleepy when I looked up but refused to stop her actions.

The girl on top was reluctant to get off my face, loving my tongue far too much to even move during her post orgasm bliss, but I soft poke to her ass caused her to topple off gently. She got up and kissed my quim covered lips, my position still very much ass up, tits down.

I felt the other finally free my pussy from her lips lock on her, now moving down to lick my cheeks in circles. The other joined in, wanting round two, and three, and four... 

_ ‘I could do this forever…’ _

-

Midori

_

Kurumi laid me down, pulling my panties down halfway as pushing her fingers to light up my quim. Karen came over to caress my tits, her soft hair laid against my arms. Kurumi couldn’t wait anymore.

She dove right in, not giving my pussy anytime to anticipate her. She suddenly pushed me up so that I was completely at her mercy. My cameltoe and thigh cheeks squeezing my enticing wet pussy. She slithered up and down, trying her best in every movement she made.

Karen sat on top of my tits, my sex wanting her to sit on my face but I felt that she wouldn’t let herself be in such a vulnerable position. Instead she made love to my nipples, rubbing her pussy from one to the other, my only regret that I couldn’t see her wet underneath the skirt.

Kurumi was treating me like a five star, full course meal, devouring my cunt with a vigor I had never felt from any other girl I’ve slept with. Not even Eri, no matter how much I wanted to deny it.

Oh I was close. Ohoooooh sooo close, Kurumi was too good. I strained to look over to Aika, who seemed to be suffocated by the sapphic sex those two sluts were commiting to her. I couldn’t see her under the skirt of one of them but I was sure she was having as much fun as I was.

Kurumi finally flicked my clit with her finger while sliding back and forth in a motion so succulent I had to give her what she no doubt craved from me.

“AAAAAAAAAAAIIIIYYYYYIIIEEE!!!” 

I exploded without warning, my release going everywhere as Kurumi wasn’t ready for the force of it. She tried so hard to drink it but it was so beyond my control now. Instead, I felt Karen dip down and stick her mouth on me, her tongue laying flat on my lower lips and slowly moving as I came right down her throat. Oh, it was enough to pass out.

“It’s okay Kurumi-chan, come over here and sit on her face,” Karen said in between my spurts, again stapling herself to my cunt.

Kurumi obeyed in an instant, her pussy welcoming itself to my lips immediately. I had no reason to refuse her. She was crying joyfully from what I could hear, her wetness trickling down my teeth and mouth and thighs clamping my ears. My tongue made her sing.

Karen was still caressing my pussy with her tits, practically riding them as she guzzled me. 

When my kitty calmed down her downpour, I felt Kurumi cum easily to my tongue as if my orgasms’ end began hers. It almost made me resume my spray if only I wasn’t so exhausted. My mind was spinning now...and the dark of her asscheeks and pussy pushed on me was causing me to breath heavier and heavier.

_ ‘I could honestly die happy right now…damn you, whoever did this.’ _

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The plot will resume next.


	9. Desperation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karen leads our intrepid duo further into her pit of madness.

Aika

_

When we finally finished, I was disheveled beyond belief. My hair tousled by the fluffy pillows beneath and I had no energy for recourse against these vixens that had their way with me. Not that I wanted any, they were professionals it seemed. Five stars.

I saw Midori, so hot and bothered now by this alien that had swallowed her; she was looking better than me though.

Her makeup, at least. Mine, was all over the place for…various reasons.

I tried standing up but the floor combined with the honestly lovely state my pelvis was in, stopped me from moving far. I fell right back on my ass, my lower regions still squeeing in my earlier song of release. 

Well, MULTIPLE songs. It was a double-sided prog album at this point. My kitty still pulsed in glee.

Midori tried as well to rise up from the carnage done to her and had very much the same success as I. Her body looked sultry in that pile-drived pose. Course, they put me in one as well for a while, but I thankfully had the sense to lie back down on my back. It felt wonderful, sure, but staying in it for two long was just murder on your neck. Not that any one part of me was sore; more just numb a bit.

The girls beside me had fallen asleep together; their bodies spooned evenly between. I felt a little left out that at the end of the chorus they just passionately gave me; they decided to leave me out of the cuddles.

Midori’s “friend”, though I suppose she was much more than that now, lay beside her, so enthralled by the experience we just shared. Finally… it had happened.

My cherry was popped and then some. Though, through my sense coming back to me I felt growing guilt and sorrow it was not Eri who took me instead. 

_ ‘Oh, where are you my love? I will tell you everything I swear. Even this. No lies shall be kept between us anymore, if only I could see you once more.’ _

There was Karen, the least predisposed of us since she was mostly the giver, not the taker, standing by the dial.

“Weeelll, now that everybody has had their fun, and looking at the aftermath you would be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy it, we can mosey on along to our real goal. That was quite…lovely though,” she licked her lips of I’m sure a multitude of quims by courtesy of yours and hers truly.

She turned the knob again, the ship docking gently into our final destination. I couldn’t be sure by the sea floor below but by the time our “fun” took, I was sure we must’ve been leagues deep by now.

The door opened showing it was much larger than I first anticipated. In fact, the whole left side of the room started lifting up the wall as a shutter, scrolling up into the ceiling. 

As it lifted, the room adjacent was revealed to us; a large futuristic room with more pods lining the sides. What looked like…HUNDREDS maybe even THOUSANDS MORE? 

_ ‘WHERE ARE WE?!’ _

“Now, I can see you are all veeery confused at the moment but just wait a bit and this will make sense,” she spoke to no one in particular. Judging by the now waking faces of her followers too, they seemed just as amazed as I was. Midori too.

My clothes, still “technically” on, I got myself “dressed” and stood up as well as I could. Midori mirrored my movements as best she could though her state was a bit more difficult as she was still upside down on the pillow.

We got up and walked towards Karen, the girls recovering as well and following suit. 

_

The room was enormous; it could hardly even be called a room anymore. 

We walked for a couple minutes passing who knew how many of these containers. Each one housing…something, I’m sure, but the glass was frosted over so I couldn’t glimpse any of them. Unlike our walk down to the hold, it was just the six of us now. No other girl in sight. Karen headed the group, walking with more panache now, her skirt still held up enough so that we could see generous glimpses of her cameltoe. 

Midori followed directly behind, looking desperate to not be coaxed into a “round two” in the middle of this giant corridor. Her little darling, clinging ever so tightly to her arm. And then me, with my two “concubines” trying their best not to resume their groping as we walked.

Suddenly she stopped in the middle of the hall, the length of it very much unreached by our current stride. There was another panel with a dial on it, very much like the one from the seabed room.

_ ‘What the?’ _

“So, as I was saying before, to you girls, I am very old. Buuuut…not to MY people. I am quite young comparatively and as a youngling I have been sent out on the most coveted of tasks. To prepare EARTH for colonization. My people are named the Arume, an elite all female race of intelligent beauties. BUT…it is not only our intelligence that gives us the edge. It is our firepower, our weaponry, our strategists. With those three alone, we have conquered hundreds of planets. But we have not conquered all things that ail us. What might that be, I hear you asking? I mean, as you have seen, conventional human made weapons do nothing to us. So why worry?

…Disease. Disease has struck us hard; my sisters back home in turmoil over the body count it has left in its wake. We have found a cure, however. And man can make it. MAN HAS MADE IT. That is why I have waited so long, almost 80 years now, to cultivate these scientific discoveries! AND NOW IT BEARS ITS FRUIT! ALL THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IS BEFORE US NOW!”

She sounded completely mad, stereotypically so even. A complete sociopath.

“What are you even talking about?” I said.

“Many of your finest women were taken by our researchers but an immunity was not without great cost. My heart still goes out to the hundreds of thousands who died finding the cure. But now, WE HAVE FOUND HER!”

_ ‘What? What in fucks name was she on about?’ _

“We have now cultivated 1,800,000 cloned life forms to be deployed on a world sect. As we Arume are of both “human” sexes micro-genetically, ya know, without the obvious, we will mate with your females and bring our numbers to a sustainable level once more.”

“And just who is this “girl” who is the cure to all this, huh? You’re talking a lot of shit here and I’m about SICK OF IT!” I yelled at her, so fed up with the nonsense I just heard.

_ ‘Clones? Genetic birthing? Arume? Just what the Hell was all this?!’ _

Suddenly, she turned to me, walked over and whispered in my ear. 

_ “Oh, Aika. You already know. Your one and only. The girl even YOU would KILL for. And THAT’S saying something.” _

“...You-you didn’t… huuuurgh…WHYYYYY?!” I slapped her away from me in a fit of rage.

“Oh, don’t you DARE tell me you didn’t see this coming. She’s the daughter of a multinational conglomeration for goodness sakes! So what if it’s in Japan! That’s like you dating the daughter of Bill Gates! Honestly, were this America, you’d be all over tabloids and magazines now! Portraying you as some filthy gay slut, wanting and ready at her beck and call. Lucky for you, I am not in the business of such uncouth practices. No, I spared you and her little posse to show the love I had for a woman so important to me. When I found out she was the cure, I was ecstatic. Of all the test subjects he had brought, I NEVER thought his own progeny would end up being what we soooooo yearned for. I had only seen her through the windows of those large white rooms, her eyes a flutter from the aftermath of those tests. I had yet to meet her until middle school. But even then I could only imprint myself onto her. I had to leave until a year later. Her memory wiped of the horrible experiences we put her through for her own sake. It was the least we could do.

When the clones of my fallen sisters were complete, finally replicated in my perfect visage, we injected them with her blood. However, they would not wake. We knew the blood worked because it cured my sisters’ back home just fine. So why wouldn’t it work on them? We had finally found the perfect compound, the ability to create life artificially! 

But then I realized, her blood lit a fire inside us all. But it was not potent enough. She was not of age, yet.

She was molded into a ripe young girl now, completely uninterested in men as we planned it. Her only place would be the academy he started, for all these young subjects we, thankfully, do not have to sacrifice now. I introduced myself and wonderfully, she gave into the pheromones I excreted, easily falling for me. And that was that, till you came along, Midori. You were her REAL first, only using your “personality” and “affection” to woo her. Gotta admit, kinda made me jealous. But I figured it would pass, till it…well you know, didn’t. So I opted for another idea. Have her be, LIKE US. Have her be a womanizer, simply virile in her raw sexuality. She would take every woman she met by storm, with my power behind her.”

All I was hearing was blowing me apart inside but I slowly piece myself back together, formulating my next train of thought. 

“Soon she attracted you and though you used all your silly tsundere resistance you most certainly cultivated in the barracks of that bootcamp he held, you fell to her wiles as well. Or rather, mine…hehehe.”

“Yours? You mean, all this time…” she was way more terrifying than I could ever imagine.

“Yes, my body emits a kind of scent, undetectable to humans, that entices mates to me. If I share it through intimate contact with another woman, she can emit it too, even without realizing she does! YEEESSS, that’s RIGHT! Eri has been under my scent the whole time you’ve known her, so in turn, so have you! But I’ve admired your resilience up until now, really I have. You both have become wonderful additions to her harem and by extension, MINE.”

“HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH US LIKE THAT!” Midori yelled, trying to shirk off Kurumi and attack Karen. Kurumi’s grip tightened more and more, causing her to cry out loudly.

“Caaaalm down, Midori. I did nothing malicious. It was all in the name of science and a greater cause. And look, you two were great too. I was worried about having to inject you as well, since you aged with her, but thankfully she was the one we needed. We had searched for sooooooo long and now I believe it was all worth it.”

“ALL THIS TIME- YOU-YOU USED US?!”

“Ok, ok stop the melodrama. I didn’t “USE” you, okay? You were born to humans and you are all still human. You just happened to be selected for a secret agency you knew nothing about. And then, YOU GRADUATED! Like seriously, what’s the big deal? Yeah, you ended up killing people Midori but Aika got away scott-free at least? Gooootta look at the bigger picture here.”

“BIGGER PICTURE?! OUR LIVES ARE A LIE BECAUSE OF YOU!”

“You didn’t need to know. Honestly, you never did. None of you were supposed to. But, your mentor got involved with us, as she was Shinkai’s right hand woman; we had no choice but to go along with her decrees. She even asked for our secret of “immortality”. Pssshah, As if such a thing exists. Got what she deserved in the end. Heh, They all did.”

“YOU MONSTER!”

“You know, as much as I’ve tolerated your outbursts until now, just chocking them up to your hormones firing on all cylinders, they are getting quite grating. Aika is behaving just fine and I just told her her entire life as an agent was in service of a grooming project for our latest ARUME combatants. And you don’t see HER complaining, now do you?”

I looked over to Aika who just seemed to be completely floored at the revelations occurring. The girls behind her seemed to empathize, gently stroking her cheeks and hands.

I had had ENOUGH.

Valiantly, she smacked Kurumi in the face, the force causing her to recoil back at the hit.

She jumped on Karen, smashing her down to the floor.

“Now, that was mean. Apologize to her. Kurumi-chan, are you okay over there?” Karen said, unperturbed by the woman straddling her with murderous intent.

Kurumi had fallen back but at Karen’s behest, had risen up and grabbed Midori’s arm, pulling it behind her back.

“AAAGGHHH!!! KURUMI, LET ME GO!” she screamed.

“She won’t listen to you Midori. She is at my beck and call, completely enthralled by me. She’ll do anything I say. Just watch: Hey, Kurumi-chan, could you break her finger for me? Just on the one hand you got there, Honey. No need to break em’ all. Just one for now.”

**SNAP**

**“HIIIIYYYYIIIIIAAAIIIIIHHH!!! ()()()()!!!”**

Midori’s pain was immeasurable. I couldn’t believe how awful that looked. 

“Ya know, this is pretty hot, cept for the blood curdling scream you just let out. Well, that’s kinda hot too. Anyway, I’d love another round with you, really I would, but let’s save some for later, OK?” she got up off the ground, brushing herself off of any unlikely dust there actually was.

“YOOOOU ()!!!”

“Now now, what were you going to do? You lash out at me, you’ll get nowhere. We’re in the middle of an underground compound, hundreds of feet below sea level, and Aogaoshima is right where the Regina is docked. You’ll never escape; I don’t know why you would think that would work. And besides, I think it’s about time we met our princess.”

She walked over and turned the dial, the entire corridor collapsing into steam, panels of the wall sliding down and the whole floor pushing up into the ceiling, to reveal what could only be 

her…

Mothership.

_

Midori

_

“OUR MOTHER! OUR QUEEN!

She WILL be venerated by our entire species for thousands of years to come!” Karen screamed as we rose up the vertical shaft. A giant skylight shown above hundreds of feet into the air, showing the beauty of the sun’s rays down on us once more.It was the only solace I could see now.

_ ‘I feel like I’m in a cult.’ _

We arrived at a huge room with a “spaceship” smack dab in the middle. (describe it after you research models)

“What…is this?” I said, at a loss for any more words.

“Why, this is how I got here, Aika. There is an opening for a hanger. When my sisters arrive, we will unleash the pods and our girls will roam free, oft to frolic amongst the living. Course, they will usurp the living here, as a superior being is born to do. We shall take our rightful place once more as a legion of free willed, intelligent beings, a powerful entity not to be reckoned with. Your people shall bow before us and the male leaders shall be excised for the treason. And you two shall be heralded as heroic emissaries before us, bringing the women of nations on Earth together with our clans and creating everlasting peace. You need only give in to the powers before you, stubborn as you are, you cannot hope to defeat us now, seeing all that you know?”

She boasted heavily, a speech intrinsic with the words of a madwoman. The name “Karen Minamino” was lost to me now. Then again, I suppose I never knew her so this REALLY was who she was. 

“So you commit mass genocide then on half our population? Why, what’s the point? You know, I’m not too fond of boys either but that’s not a reason to wipe them out,” I retorted.

“Boys? Why, you silly. You think we have the manpower to kill all males on the planet Earth? No, even if we did it would be an undertaking too ridiculous to even consider. And as you so eloquently put it, there is no tactical advantage to doing so.”

“Then, why’d yo-“

“You OBVIOUSLY misheard me. I was speaking of the male world leaders. They are useless fodder that has no place in our new-shared society. First off, we need male humans so that human women can continue to exist; no way would we annihilate them completely. Second, because of the large vacuum of power left in the wake of their demise, we shall assume those positions, offering more noble solutions than they ever devised. Third, the power struggle would be non-existent given the control of one unified entity. And Fourth, any idea to the contrary is preposterous. Your species is already heading towards its own destruction willingly. What of a sacrifice in the name of quenching that hastened timeline? In fact, with our combined powers, we could very much annihilate many of the ails that plague your weak constitutions. 

I say this is a win-win situation. Whad-ya think?” she threw a couple finger guns at us while winking like the Fonz. 

_ ‘God, she WAS FUCKING old.’ _

“I think you’re batshit insane, is what I think. Whatever you drugged us with earlier isn’t gonna work twice,” I had had enough of her shit. This was no different than a crazed, power hungry politician, the ones I had been trained to apprehend. Honestly, it was kinda disappointing, seeing this being for another planet act very much the same as any other jackoff psychopath. A shame, really. 

“DRUGGED YOU?...*PFFT* AHAHAHAHA!!! Like I would need to! You were salivating so hard for some I was surprised you didn’t drench the floor in your saliva! No, no honey, THAT was all you. Your own feelings let out in a crescendo of ecstasy. No DRUG did that, cept maybe hormones and estrogen. Then again, those are endorphins, aren’t they? I wouldn’t really know, I don’t have them, least I don’t have them like you do.”

I was taken aback for a sec.  _ ‘There’s no way…’ _

“YOU FUCKING LIE! I would never do something like that un-coerced!” she was full on playing with me now, trying to see how far she could push my buttons. And it was working.

“You mean, YOU lie to yourself. You can’t fathom the idea of losing your virginity so willingly to another woman other than HER, can you? She was to be your one and only, so much so I could feel the jealousy radiating off you when she dared give attention to another girl. Such a Yandere, honestly, it’s quite unbecoming of you. And you’d think after such a good lay they gave you, you wouldn’t hear all these complaints about your hypocritical morality system. 

Grow up, BITCH. 

You can’t live as who you think you are without having to do what you were made to do one day. You were bred as a seductress, an assassin, a tool for a project that is now wonderfully successful. And a tool that thinks for itself is no tool. It is an error, an errant protocol and a vicious virus that stands in the way of progress.

And of all the love I’ve given you, every inch I’ve let you cross, every mile I’ve let you run…

You are still mine to do with as I will.

Disobeying me is not in your best interest. DON’T make me kill you too.”

Her tone turned from light to dark to ice cold in a matter of seconds. Suddenly, my mortality became more imminent to me as I glanced over to Midori, still very much in agony from Kurumi’s snapping of her index finger. She wasn’t crying anymore but her heavy breathing indicated the pain she held back.

Kurumi herself was still very much unaware of her actions, obviously under a trance of some sort.

_ ‘Least, I hope.’ _

Karen turned back on a dime to her bright cheery façade.

“I’m JUUUUUUUST KIDDING, you know! I would never hurt you unless it was absolutely necessary. I mean, since it was my idea to use you two as the grand connections to our new government, I wouldn’t do anything lethal to you two.”

“Well, YOU BROKE HER () FINGER!” I yelled back.

“Pishposh, that’s a parlor trick my dear. Watch this.”

She approached Kurumi, who still had Midori restrained and grabbed her hand from her.

“Here we go…” a light emanated from her hand, enveloping Midori’s cracked tendons and straightened them. She looked at me, her eyes watering but I could see no residual pain she was in. It had completely healed.

Karen let go of her hand gently, Midori flexing her finger immediately to see if what she had just witnessed was at all true.

“You see? Just a bit of tough love, that was really. No reason to get upset. And now you can see you two are in great hands. If anything happens to you, I can heal you right away.” She curtsied suggestively at the work she had just done, congratulating herself even more.

“SO WHAT, we’re just LAMBS TO SLAUGHTER whenever you get a temper tantrum GOING?!” Midori said, angry as Hell now that she was made out to be a guinea pig. 

Karen pouted. “You know, I’ve been nothing but fair to you guys. I invited you in, brought you down, made love to you multiple times, and told you everything. And still, you have the gall to treat ME like this?”

“WE DIDN’T ASK FOR ANY OF THIS SHIT!” we both yelled back in unison. 

“Weeeell, sometimes we don’t always get our way. I, however, am a generous being. I will show you all what we so desperately crave.”

Steam suddenly began to bellow out of the ship, it’s opening slowly rising with deathly anticipation.

“We will wait no longer now. She has come; she is finally ready to be our majestic goddess! OUR BEAUTIFUL MOTHER!”

The opening rose higher and HIGHER until…

My god, ERI. My jaw dropped with Midori’s close behind.

She was suspended in a cocoon-like pod much like the ones we had seen before but the window covering her showed her naked body clear as day. The tank was filled with an unknown liquid and she was tethered by tubes and straps all over. 

It was nightmarish.  _ ‘What the FUCK HAVE THEY DONE TO YOU?!’ _

Karen only looked bemused at our surprise. “She is so lovely, isn’t she? A true ethereal being. No, one could no longer call her human or Arume. She is most certainly an angel, the kind only read about in legends, 

now right before our very eyes.

Magnificent.”

“WHAT DID YOU DO?!” I yelled, distraught once more, a multitude of turgid emotions racing through me.

“Oh you see, this is my love in her most fitting form. After years of turmoil and struggles unbeknownst to you, she is free! Free from the wretched scientists who did unspeakable things and free from the confines of humanity. Our blood mixed with hers and created a synthesis of a perfect being, unable to die yet also unable to live without us. She will cease without the Arume blood given to her periodically.”

“YOOOU MONSTER!” Midori screamed. Karen just laughed it off.

“Her body took some time adjusting to its godly features and we simply needed to hasten that along in order to match the timetable set for my sister’s arrival. Space travel takes a while, you know, and as such we needed to make this work. I was sent as an ambassador as I said before but my job was not only to welcome our new cure but also to prepare the world for its harvest. She will be our weapon; holy light shall rain down on our enemies and her place, as queen of our empire shall be undisputed for all time.”

“NOT IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT!” I ran towards the ramp down from the ship, the ramp leading up to the pod’s opening. Karen made no effort to stop me, audibly scoffing at my efforts. When I came to her, I struggled making the pod budge an inch.

“What is this thing? Hermetically sealed?!” I said, straining against the cover, desperately trying to get it open.

“AHAHAHAHA! And just what do you hope to accomplish from up there? SHE’S NOT DEAD YOU KNOW! You don’t have to exact some “revenge” born out of your “righteous horny vengeance” against us,” Karen just stood there, hand on her hip, entertained by my folly.

“Look, if you’re soooo eager to see her now, and I feel ya girl, I am too, I’ll help you out. Let’s open her up…

How about it, Midori?”

I looked back at Karen and then to Midori, confused by the sudden reference to her name.

“WHAAA?! Me?!” she spouted, seemingly just as confused. Karen looked a bit annoyed by her exasperation.

“Oh C’mon, DARL! You know what I’m talking about! I showed you when you were under my influence earlier. You know, that night on the boat, where you so lovingly betrayed Aika.” Karen swished about in place, enjoying the squirms she put into us by her casual speech.

“What are you talking about, YOU NUT?!” she looked angry yet hurt once more, as if something else was bothering her.

Karen was visibly irritated by this now, that evil aura coming back to scar again.

“Is there really no way I can get a SINGLE IOTA of COOPERATION FROM EITHER OF YOU?” she was yelling now, almost fed up totally.

I fell silent, looking down at her now from the hanger’s edge, the ramp down giving me the placation of an advantage.

Midori, in turn, was also quiet now.

“Urrrgh…hmmm…O-K~! How about this then?”

She vanished in an instant and appeared right next to me, gripping my wrist in a tight hold. I felt like if I pulled away from her my arm would rip right off. She un-holstered her gun, pointing it right at me. I saw her face, now completely devoid of the happy façade she had. She spoke and the air around me froze instantly.

“Wake her OR I kill Aika, NOW.”


	10. Hatred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Midori deals the onslaught of information she is given.

_

Midori

_

I was at a loss.  _ ‘What was she talking about? Waking Eri…how the fuck should I know how to do that?!” _

“C’moooon~ you better hurry up…my patience is as thin as ice right now,” Karen gestured to me, an evil smile, her grip freezing Aika’s arm now. She started screaming but Karen’s deathly atmosphere quelled any reaction she thought to have. 

“Shut the () up, seriously. You know, no wonder this little niggling voice in my head kept telling me to blow a hole in your skull. It’s the same one that said to do so to your teacher. Like pupil, like mentor, you’re all worthless. The only one I could possibly count on in any capacity is you, Midori, her first love,” she gazed down at me now.

“Whaaa…what do I have to do?” I asked, desperate to find an answer to save this girl’s life.

I saw Karen flare up in anticipation for what I could only imagine to be the worst thing imaginable. 

“Kiss. Her. Kiss your true love, the one who you bed first to awaken her fully. You see, your blood is forever intertwined with hers. In many ways, YOU are the reason she is complete now.

“Kiiiss her? Wh-a…aaaaaa?” I couldn’t understand what she was saying. Really, it made no sense.  _ ‘Same blood? How?’ _

“I can see you are still confused. Weell~ allow me to elab-o-rate. As the first test subject, Eri was already destined for greatness. Yet, she was alone, distraught at a young age by the loneliness of that chambered prison. So we designated you, the first gifted trainee of DELTA to become her companion. Of course, we didn’t want to make it seem artificial. You were introduced to her youth majesty and then had your mind wiped of her presence several times. All a part of indoctrinating her into her role as queen.”

“Buutt WHYYY?!!! Why would you DO these things and only now tell me?!” I grasped at any string of conscious thought, trying so very hard to keep a grip on the reality I thought I knew.

Yet it was shattering like a deadly car crash.

“To continue, she was so elated by your presence. Your time with her was enriching and as she was never told who you were, each time you came back to play she grew more and more attached. That is, until we had seen your training results.

OOOOOOOOOHHH…THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY EXQUI-SITE~! I had never witnessed a human with such prowess! Not only were you proficient in every level of the class, you were unmatched among your peers even at the age of 12! Years old! I was beginning to think you weren’t HUMAN if I hadn’t seen the proof before my very eyes!”

She held Aika closer now, molesting her while threatening her life as fucked up as in-humanly possible.

“I apologize~ I get SO EXCITED by the memories! If only you were cooperative Aika my DEAR, I wouldn’t have to be so ROUGH~ with you now!” she grabbed Aika’s breasts, jilling herself to this evil tale she wove. Still at lethal gunpoint.

“YOU BITCH!” I yelled. I was still unable to contend with what I was taking in but I needed to save this girl first and foremost.

_ ‘For Eri’s sake.’ _

Karen frowned now, a sure sign that my comment actually got to her. She sighed standoffishly. 

“…Fiine~ I’ll get on with it. You were the best I had ever seen. I knew that I saw a perfect chance with you. To make our plan even more perfect, I decided on the ultimate task. Infusing her blood with yours. Every queen needs a wife after all, and what a wife you would be. Two immortal, unstoppable goddesses leading the way for peace on Earth and throughout the civilized galaxies. Oh, it would be a dream come true. And…it still can. 

All you need to do is kiss her and the blood she is infused with will activate. She will awaken from the pod and its automatic life sign trigger will activate the moment she becomes conscious. Then and only then can the new renaissance of the next millennia begin.”

“But how am I supposed to kiss her if she’s sealed in a pod?” I saw a huge flaw in her plan right there. But she only smiled wider at my question.

“Oh, you think this is…glass? OHOHOHO! NOT AT ALL! It’s a gel, a special one that only beings of the same constitution can penetrate. It’s acidic to ones who are not worthy. You were destined, born, created for this one moment. Time to fulfill your duty.”

“But I-“ she scowled straight at my defiance.

“Alright, enough of this drivel. 

Seriously, walk up these fucking steps, sink into the fucking pod, and wake her the fuck up or so help me I’ll kill this cunt right here. Her brains, on that wall in less than a second. And Kurumi too. Let’s move this along.”

Suddenly, I felt Kurumi grab me from behind as she started leading me up the ramp forcefully. “AGGGGGHHH! Why-why WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH?!”

“Oh~ is that the pain you feel coming back? I should’ve told you that finger wasn’t exactly fixed for good. It’s a placebo really and a good one at that. My pheromones are highly potent aphrodisiac, and redirected for pain they have the calming strength of the highest purity Morphine. But, if you wear down my patience like you are right now, that effect wears away too. In fact, the more pissed off I am, the more the pain increases, even past it’s initial pain threshold.

As I said before, it’s in your best interest not to cross me.”

“AGGGGHH!!!” I couldn’t even feel the steps I was forced to take, my clothes adorning my body, my earrings dangling from my ears, or the hand tearing at my arm. All my focus was on the excruciating pain washing over me like a tsunami of nerve endings smashed to pieces. Even so, I scratched at Kurumi’s titan vice on me, failing to illicit so much as a whimper from her. 

“Now now~! Be a good girl and stop struggling!” Karen sing-songed to me as I was pulled all the way up the ramp.

Kurumi thrust me onto the pod; the other girls in the back now complete robots as they watched emotionless, waiting for me to finish the job. But I had a feeling this would end terribly, that my actions here would spell doom for millions of people. So I refused her once more.

“You will now sink slowly into the gelatin, do not worry about drowning; it is oxygenated.” Karen had now turned to the pod, still holding Aika at gunpoint, her finger so dangerously close to pulling that trigger now. But, Aika had a look of resolution now, not worry, as if she were telling me she wasn’t worth whatever terror this “Monster” in front of us wrought.

I pulled away from the pod as best I could, still in agony from the broken finger now sending pain signals as high as a broken femur to my brain. And only continuing to rise further and further. But I felt the substance in my mangled hand and knew it was my only chance. I had snatched it so fervently and it covered up to my wrist. And then…

_ ‘Did I really just…’ _

Karen was understandably furious now, all signs of her fake cheery disposure gone.

“OH C’MON! YOU’VE DONE SO MUCH MORE TO HER THAN THIS! I’M NOT ASKING MUCH HERE!”

I stood back, the substance deep in my hand, it’s toxicity burning my sleeves.

“YOU DARE! ARE YOU THAT FUCKING STUPID?! DO I HAVE TO TEAR OFF YOUR HEAD AND SHOVE IT IN THERE?! CAN YOU NOT DO THIS ONE FUCKING THING?! THIS ONE SIMPLE FUCKING TASK FOR ME?! WELLL FIII-NNNE~ IF YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT HER, I’LL END THIS RIGHT NOW!!! FUCKING FINALLY DIE YOU CUNT!” she just barely pulled the trigger before I lunged straight at her, fist at the ready and my hand covered in the gel. 

_ ‘Aika, I’m…sorry.’ _


	11. Death

-

Aika

_

**BANG**

I dropped like a fucking rock. The sensation was so alien to me. Never had I felt something like this before. My eyes closed moments before in a vain effort to conceal my fear of the shot going through me.

And yet, I was still alive.

_ ‘Odd…’ _

Midori had slammed into Karen at the last second, chucking the gel into her face as I felt the gun go off. 

But the pain, as I had just started to feel, for some reason slowly falling to my assumed death, did not originate from my head but from my arm. My right arm, actually. It was clear and present and enough to make me vomit and pass out from the intensity of it all, but still, it was not a vital area.

I felt relieved as gravity took me to the ground, my eyelids still frozen in a state of catatonia. My head slammed onto the metal below but it was really the elation I felt that kept me from even focusing on it.

_ ‘I’M NOT DEAD. I’M NOT DEAD! WHOOO-HOOO! I’m not DEAD!’  _

This sudden wooziness took over, a kind of hypoxia you’d say. I finally felt the renewal to open my eyes once more, 

Only to see something I never thought I’d ever witness. 

“RRAGHHHHHHIIAAARR!!!” Eri roared unearthly.

She had risen from the gel in a show of immense force, her hand protruding violently through Karen’s stomach as Midori lay on the ground, screaming. Eri’s face was twisted heavy, ghastly with fangs bearing out of her mouth, the tubes stretched to their highest tension.

There was blood everywhere. I looked up to see Karen’s face, horrified in terror as the arm that penetrated her tore at her alien organs inside, like wires ready to snap under pressure. She started screaming in the air. She dropped her gun in agony.

**“AAGHHHGGGHHHGHERRGGHHeerrgghhhhhGHHHHHH!!! WHHHAt the-th FUUUUCK!!! ERRRGGHHBLLEGHHHHHH!!!”**

Gurgles of torment erupted from her throat, at least what was left of it, as she petered out over time coming to a strained gasp, her energy spent. I felt the need to speak up before she died, if only to say what I really wanted to this whole time.

“Yo-you see, throughout all your posturing about your inevitable victory over us, what you truly feared all this time was your own demise. You only cared about your own survival, not even your own peoples. You’re no different than us really. In fact, we are better than you,” I managed to get out as she noticed me on the ground, still very much prostrate from the wound she had inflicted. She was no longer screaming now and had a peculiar smile on her face, still gushing blood from her mouth. Eri fell back now, the gelatin enveloping her body, with Karen plummeting to the ground, her mortal wound spreading a puddle of red across the floor.

“You truly were a thorn in my side from day one, weren’t you. If I only terminated you earlier, none of this would’ve happened. You’d be dead and I’d be laughing. But, I suppose that cruel mistress Fate has a funny way of ending things. I’ll give you one last parting gift for old times sake. This place is set to self-destruct on the account of my unlikely death in two hours. The Arume…are not coming for me…that was a lie. They betrayed me long ago.”

I could see her eyes water now and somehow I knew the pain came from within her deepest recesses.

“Your friends are above, sleeping soundly in a DELMOS’ safe room aboard the Regina. However, these clones will all be annihilated in the explosion. As I said before, Eri cannot survive without my blood now so she must survive on the clones. This was admittedly the last resort I had in my mind if the plan was actually executed to fruition however; there is no time for discrepancy now.

You cannot possibly take all of them. You will all die here if you do not hurry. Please, save her. I truly meant what I said then, even through all my hatred of you Aika…I-I did love her,” she spat up more and more now, looking over to Midori who was simply numb to the pain she felt.

“Heh, I snapped a vital nerve in your finger. You’ll never be the same. I want you to know that I was truly jealous of how perfect you were compared to me, how you laid with her first. I said it was for the good of us all, didn’t I right? Well, it did nothing for me. If you weren’t granted the same immortality by the kiss you could’ve given her, I would’ve shot you right after.”

“Just-just how cruel are you, alien?” Midori said, slowly rising with little winces from her hand.

“Cruel? Heh…I wonder. Anyway, I won’t last too much longer. She missed my heart by an inch but with her newly developed strength, there’s no way I could heal from this. It tore through my hardened arteries and capillaries as well. There’s nothing you can do to save me now. Not that you’d want to.”

I got up, the blood trickling down my arm as I rose. I noticed Kurumi and the other girls were staring straight at us, worry beyond compare on their faces. They had huddled together, fragile and weak.

Karen laughed, wheezing at the sight. “Ha…they were under my spell. My pheromones. Now that my life force drifts away they dissipate into the air as only a faint scent and the controls on them are lifted.” 

She attempted to sit up to meet the eyes of her once dutiful slaves but she just slid under the friction of her blood seeping out and slammed right back down onto the floor.

“Ahhh…I have lived so very long. To be ended like this…I suppose it is fitting. You were right, Aika. I was afraid of death, so much so that I would sacrifice millions for eternity. But now, looking up into the sky above me, I see that the paradise I longed for with her was right in front of me. 

No, I don’t regret my actions. But I do regret the choices I failed to make. For her…I should’ve done soooo much more. Maybe you, Midori, maybe you can tell her that I wasn’t so bad after all. I don’t want her to wake up from this as she is and know what I tried to do. That’s why I drugged her. That’s why I kept this secret. For her. She’s already been through so much; it would break her heart if she knew the truth. You must…

You must…tell her I died for her.”

“We will do no such thing,” I stood over next to Aika, our resolute minds one with each other as I picked up the her pistol on the floor.

I aimed right for her gut but she made no move to stop me.

“Heh…go ahead and shoot, I’m already dead. I die now and become a martyr for my people.”

I struggled holding the pistol, my hand still wracked by the pain and then…I felt Aika’s hand around mine, gently assisting me. I looked over to her to see the unshakable determination she pulsed with.

“So, you finally are going to break your taboo. To kill me. Would that not break that solemn vow you made many years ago?” she was breathing slower and slower now.

She said nothing, only turning to me with a nod. I felt her finger on the trigger and mine on top of it. As we both held it steady, I opened my eyes wide and depressed my middle finger onto hers.

Then Aika…pulled the trigger.


End file.
